The Human World: An Adventure
by Purple Duskywing
Summary: More then a year after his banishment, Randall comes across some other monsters facing the same fate. Being banished isn't easy, and this ragtag group of outcasts doesn't always get along. But soon, he learns that surviving isn't the same thing as living. An epic tale that will eventually lead not only Randall, but many other monsters back home.
1. Prologue

**Hello, people of the earth! I'm back after a super long absence from fanfic writing. Over a year ago, I deleted all of my stories due to a bunch of reasons. (Harsh criticism, lack of confidence, Social Anxiety, etc.) But now I'm back because I've realized how much I miss it! Fanfics are so much fun to read and write. So I'm re-posting some of my old works. I could only find 2 that hadn't been thrown out, so this really feels like a fresh start.**

 **I wrote this at around the time Monsters University came out. I love Monsters Inc, and began writing this after wondering about what life as a banished monster would be like. I started imagining it would be the worst punishment ever! The idea grew into this epic tale of adventure, hardship and friendship. It contains a couple of OCs, as well as familiar characters. It's the longest thing I've ever written, but the whole thing turned out so nicely. I hope you enjoy reading it!**

The Human World: An Adventure

A Monsters, Inc. Fanfic

Randall was lounging up in the branches of his tree with angry and frustrated thoughts running through his head.

He had lived in this world for so long…well, more like _existed_. Over a year had passed since he had been thrown out here. The tally-marks decorating the tree numbered in the hundreds; one mark for each day. As today was nearly over, Randall added yet another one. The knife made the new tally in a ritualistic way. This mundane task had been done far too many times to count.

It still baffled him as to _how_ he had ended up here. That furry blue bear and his puny green sidekick were the reason he had been reduced to living in a tree. They had just tossed him through that door without a care! As far as they were concerned, Randall Boggs had been erased from the Monster World as if he had never been.

Randall squinted into the twilight and tried not to think about it. No point being angry now; what was done was done. There was just no getting out of this godforsaken swamp, no matter how hard he wished.

He cushioned his head and leaned back. The leaves hid him incredibly well; it was safe to doze up here for a little while in the setting sun.

The last year had been difficult. In the first few weeks of his unexpected banishment, he had tried to sneak back home. Many all-nighters had been pulled, waiting beside closet doors, hoping for a monster to come through. Sneaking into houses was too easy—all he had to do was disappear and creep in when a kid fell asleep. But as the weeks stretched into months, he had had time to think.

 _What will happen if I_ do _get back?_

The possibilities rushed through his head again and again. Very likely he would be arrested, or banished albeit in a formal matter. Knowing his rivals, they had probably destroyed his brilliant scream extractor. Agreeing to take part in the plan had been the biggest mistake of his life. All of the work, brainstorming, and secrecy had been for nothing. All just a waste…no matter how many different scenarios Randall concocted, the results were the same every time. If he returned, it was either arrest or banishment to some barren wasteland like the arctic or a desert.

Well, since he was already out here, he could save the authorities the trouble. The place he had ended up wasn't all that bad. In fact, he was getting used to it.

This was Louisiana, so the winter hadn't been too terrible. Cold weather never agreed with him, and it was a sheer stroke of luck that the door had led someplace where snow was rare. Early on, he discovered that luck was difficult to come by in this place.

He had survived winter, alligators, hunters, illness, rainstorms, lightning storms, hunger, snakes, bears, gunshots, more rainstorms, and even a few fractured bones. He had explored nearly the whole of the state by now, keeping track of the days while keeping this one tree his home base. Even with his camouflaging, it was hard to avoid detection. Humans were everywhere! It was impossible not to run into them at some point during the day. In this particular swamp, there was enough wilderness to stay hidden, and enough food to live on.

The residents of a nearby trailer park had a tendency to use shovels for beating off alligators. They were also his emergency supply source. He hadn't stooped so low as to take food from them; he was quite capable of feeding himself. It was amazing how those people could stand living so close to this dangerous swamp; he had to fight off predators practically every day.

Randall's days of existence consisted of foraging in the swamp, hunting, gathering water, and growing what food he could. The trailer park offered useful things like knives and medical supplies if he was ever in trouble. To keep his mind sharp and occupied, Randall built contraptions such as rope and pulley systems for hoisting things up into the tree. He whittled bowls and plates to eat off of to be a bit more civilized. Using branches and assorted junk from the trailer park, he invented a powerful slingshot for hunting birds and small animals. He wove mats from various grasses to keep dry in the rain. They were a little thin when it came to chilly weather, but better than nothing.

When the sun was nearly out of sight, Randall awoke from his light doze.

This tree was an old, twisted thing. It was nestled very deep in the swamp and a safe haven; a place to come back to whenever he left for long hunting expeditions. If he was gone for several days, he always made sure to count them. The collection of tally marks could keep on growing that way…although _why_ he was still counting the days, he wasn't sure.

At the top of the trunk, where the branches all met, was a flat hollow big enough to curl up and sleep in. He was an excellent natural climber. Scaling the twisted branches was easy as he maneuvered deep into the foliage. The leaves and moss hid him from below and above, and offered shade when he needed it. The hollow was lined with some stolen blankets to make it more comfortable. All around hung collected tools, homemade utensils, and other knick-knacks. An old shard of mirror—thrown away by some trailer park resident—was wedged up against a branch base. Randall used it to quickly check a fresh cut on his face from a few days ago.

His reflection was drastically different than the one back in Monstropolis. His purple scales were tanned a deeper shade from being outdoors all the time. He was a lot thinner, but had built up plenty of muscle to make up for it. Several scars and bite marks could be found all over his body; some courtesy of animals, others from accidents or minor gunshot wounds. His eyes were forever squinting, but at least he could still see well enough to use the slingshot.

"What I wouldn't give for some glasses right about now…" he mumbled to himself.

Satisfied that the cut was healing properly, he settled down in his pitiful home to get some sleep. The last rays of sunshine finally winked out. The sounds of summer frogs and crickets filled the silence and helped the lone monster drift off.

All of the things Randall had done and endured were to try and survive; no more. He had set up a home in this tree, built weapons, grown and hunted his own food, and built up his strength.

Without even realizing it, he had adapted well.

But there were many downsides. He knew he would never see the sight of another monster again, never walk around without glancing over his shoulder for predators, endure a lifetime of hiding from civilization…the reality of it all was all too aggravating. Randall's last thoughts as he fell asleep were of what his bleak future would be, trapped in this world.

 **Typical prologue; pretty short, but I just couldn't wait to post something. This is just the start of a tale that will eventually lead not only Randall, but many other monsters back home. Updates will be every few days. Please be polite in reviews in you feel like reviewing! Thank you! :)**


	2. Last Day Alone

**Hello, readers! In this part, we go through a typical day for Randall, before meeting the rest of the group. They consist of a couple of OCs, and a random character from MU that I threw in for fun. A quick note to any former readers: I've done some editing since the last time this story was posted, so there may be some changes here and there. But it's still the same story, through and through. Enjoy!**

Chapter One: Last Day Alone

Sleeping outside always made Randall wake up dreadfully early.

The sky was barely light when he opened his eyes. Groaning, he pushed a woven grass mat over his head. This happened every single morning! He wanted to sleep as much as he liked. It wasn't until early sunshine hit his face in an annoying way when he got up.

Down on the mossy ground, frogs were still croaking away like they did all the time. Bugs kept flying around his face as he prepared a meager breakfast. These were the constant sounds of the swamp.

"Get lost!" he said aloud, swatting at some dragonflies. "There's enough to do today without you!"

Breakfast was only a bowl of foraged berries, roots, and other edible plants. Monsters could eat practically anything, but Randall's tastes were a bit more high class. He liked good, tasty food, and being reduced to these 'delicacies' had been hard. But they kept him alive. One thing he really missed was his own kitchen back in Monstropolis. He imagined all the things he could be making for breakfast right now, instead of sitting on a tree root eating plants out of a wooden bowl.

The first chore of the day was gathering water. From the treetops, he fetched four empty plastic bottles, one for each hand. There was a steady stream nearby that was fresh enough to drink from. It wasn't home to any gators, thank goodness. Having to deal with gators out in the open swamp was enough trouble.

Although it was unlikely people were up and about, Randall was cautious, making his way through the trees. He blended to a marbled green moss pattern to be on the safe side, and kept to the dense bushes.

The chore was uneventful and he returned to the hideout with enough water to last the day.

…

A little later, Randall was ready to raid the trailer park for some supplies. He was running low on matches and needed something along those lines to start campfires. They were such timesavers, much faster than rubbing two sticks together. He lay flat on the ground, peeking out from behind a log. The edge of the trailer park lay about fifty feet away and he was waiting for a wise time to sneak in.

"Come on, come on," he whispered. At least three families were outside enjoying the early summer sunshine. "I can't steal anything with you all wandering around!" Even if he was invisible, the people would notice random objects floating around, or a door opening of its own free will. He had to wait for just the right moment.

Randall was _not_ patient, but he was learning to be. Patience paid off, for the chance to sneak in came when a man propped open a screen door to let some fresh air into his trailer.

 _Perfect!_ Randall disappeared completely and moved in. These humans were a noisy bunch! Talking loudly, and telling each other corny jokes in loud voices as the lizard slinked by. They had no clue he was there.

He was quick. He got into the trailer without a sound, found a barbeque lighter and a book of matches in a drawer, and dropped them out a window that faced the wild swamp. Before anyone could shut the screen door, he was back outside.

There was a close call when a hyperactive boy ran by and almost knocked into him. But no trouble arose.

Randall retrieved the lighter and matches from the grass and stayed low, keeping the tools hidden in the grass. The humans' voices faded; they hadn't noticed a thing. Randall didn't reappear until he was safe among the trees once again.

"There. Done." He said to no one.

…

Lunch was a solitary meal, as usual. He caught a small fish and picked some edible green things from the vegetable garden growing by his tree. Learning how to grow food straight from seeds had truly been the most time-consuming, tedious chore he had learned thus far. But it really paid off in the long run.

"Augh. I'm so hungry!" He complained as he finished eating. He was in the mood for something a little hardier then a small fish with vegetable. "Next bird I see, I'm totally killing it."

He climbed the tree to fetch his slingshot, still speaking aloud. "Stop talking to yourself, Randall."

…

That afternoon, Randall went deeper into the trees to do some hunting. The invented slingshot was impressive, with a double-firing design that allowed him to use all arms and shoot two stones at once. It was good for hunting birds and other small animals. It would either kill them or stun them long enough to catch them. For fighting off alligators, Randall found it best to use his own teeth. He was about the same size as an adult gator, and with his new strength, it was always a fair fight.

One good hunting tactic for catching birds was blending in with the moss, with his body wrapped around a branch. It was kind of a sneak attack strategy.

He bided his time. The slingshot was armed, and the birds landed on neighboring branches to sing cheerily. When one was in just the right spot, close enough for Randall to clearly see it, anyway, he fired twice in quick succession. The bird tweeted its last when the rocks struck its head. Randall caught it with his dexterous tail as it fell.

A bit small for dinner, so he killed a few more.

He wished he had his glasses. Hunting would be far easier that way.

…

The afternoon ended up being very routine.

Randall built a small fire so the birds would be nicely cooked by evening. The smoke leaving the fire was very minimal; it could not be seen above the treetops. But a small fire also meant it took _forever_ to cook anything. Many monsters could eat raw meat without having to worry, but he liked the taste of cooked food better. What he wouldn't give for a stove out here!

To pass the time, he checked the sound alarms. They were only strings of tin cans that rattled when triggered. The strings were like tripwires across the ground, with the cans hanging unseen in the foliage above. Over a dozen alarms were rigged up in the area, just to be sure no humans would come across his hideout.

Mid-afternoon, he once again tried to construct a bow and arrow set. It was a slow-going project he'd been working on. The various branches, poles, twine and other materials were not cooperating! But he was smart; he would figure out a solution in time. "It's not as if I have a deadline…"

When he became bored of that, he stretched out on the largest root of his tree and entertained himself by shifting into the colors of any insect that buzzed by; mostly iridescent dragonfly patterns of blue, orange, and green. As he lay there, changing random colors, his mind wandered a bit…the anniversary of his banishment had recently come and gone. He doubted his family missed him, or even if they were aware of his fate. He didn't exactly have friends—Jeffery Fungus was probably the closest thing to one, but he was more likely celebrating Randall's absence. Outside of work, Randall had lived alone, in a small house, without even a pet for company.

Yes, he was used to being alone. But out here in the Human World, he was finally beginning to feel lonely.

Talking to himself helped somewhat.

…

Randall felt better after eating some dinner. By the time the birds were cooked to his liking, the sun had begun to sink.

Watching the sunset and admiring the view from a tall tree was always a good way to end the day. He reclined on a branch with his tail wrapped around to keep from falling. The late sunlight shone pure gold, with a mix of red, pink, and just a hint of orange along the treeline. No matter how boring a day ended up being, this view certainly made up for it. Far off on the horizon, Randall could see the sun glinting off of the distant aluminum roofs of the trailer park.

He sighed. Another day was over. "Time for another mark…and quit talking to yourself! That will only prove you're losing your mind." He pulled out a knife and added another tally to the tree's growing collection.

He munched on a dessert of wild berries while the sun tanned his scales. How he missed the sweets form Monstropolis! Especially cake and cupcakes. He had almost forgotten what they tasted like.

Suddenly, there came a rattle from one of the sound alarms.

His reaction was instantaneous.

He slinked without a sound through the treetops in the direction of the noise. If anyone discovered his hideout, he may have to find another tree. Frightening humans off was easy enough. If they were armed hunters, just throwing things at them while invisible was enough to make them scatter. If they were unarmed, Randall would disguise himself as a wild alligator and 'attack.' The tactics worked every time.

It was a few minutes until he reached the site. The string of tin cans had crashed to the ground. Whatever had tripped it had run off. Nobody was in sight except a few fireflies buzzing around. Randall was about to leave, but then he spied fresh footprints on the damp ground. They were moving towards the stream, in the opposite direction of his hideout.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

More out of curiosity then anything, He decided to track the unwanted visitor. It wasn't as if he had anything better to do. He had gotten so skilled at maneuvering through the branches that the leaves scarcely rustled.

First he heard the rushing stream, and then heard a woman's complaining voice: "Ugh! This is _disgusting_! Why are they making me do this…?"

Randall positioned himself directly over the stream, blending into the bark. At the sight of the intruder, he nearly lost balance in surprise. The sight was so astounding that his eyes widened.

 _Another monster!_ It had to be an illusion. He blinked a few times to be convinced. It _was_ real. Another monster, here in this dimension!

Not just any monster, though. In the entire universe, she was the absolute last monster one would ever expect to run into out here in the Human World. He didn't know her personally, and couldn't even place her name, but he still recognized her. All the members of the Python Nu Kappa sorority looked the same.

She was lavender-skinned with light purple hair, three-eyed, tall, with clawed hands and feet. The furry pink outfit and legwarmers were no more. Instead she wore a worn-out red dress with the logo of Scream Industries scare company, and black boots. She was dirty from head to toe, and her hair was looking rather unkempt. A very different monster from what he remembered from college ten years ago.

The woman's boots were evidently not waterproof. She had taken them off and was emptying them. When her clawed feet touched the mossy ground, she cringed in revulsion. "Ugh, too squishy! Of all the places to pick, why a _swamp_?!"

She pulled out several water bottles from the backpack she wore and filled them up at the stream.

Randall had never been more stunned. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it all.

What on earth was a member of the prissy, perfect, pink sorority doing in the Human World? By the sounds of it, she wasn't here alone. Her complaints were evident of that, and she wouldn't fill up so many water bottles unless there were others nearby.

The woman stored the bottles away and began to trudge barefoot, carrying her boots, back through the forest. She muttered words of complaint the whole time.

Without a second thought, Randall followed from the treetops. The hope of seeing other monsters was almost too good to believe…


	3. Observations

Chapter Two: Observations

The trek to wherever the Python Nu Kappa woman was going would not have taken so long if she didn't dawdle so much!

Randall stayed as close as her dared; it was difficult keeping her in sight through all this infernal moss. She was so focused on not touching the native wildlife that she was completely oblivious to everything else. Fireflies kept buzzing around her face, and she swatted at them in aggravation. A spider dropped onto her nose and she squealed in horror. At one point, she slipped into a patch of muddy earth, sending the sticky stuff flying. The whole time, she didn't keep watch for animals and other dangers of the swamp.

Randall shook his head in disapproval. Rule number one of living out here: be aware of your surroundings and keep a sharp lookout. Or else you get attacked by an alligator.

As much as her yearned for company, he decided to remain silent and observe for a bit. Other banished monsters could be here for any number of crimes! If there was anything he had learned in the last year, it was better to be safe than sorry.

From the branches, he watched the PNK woman's progress with some amusement. Clearly she was not made for the bayous. "Oh my God…" she groaned, smearing mud off of her face and arms. " _Why_ , oh why are we here? Just because I was outvoted…"

She begrudgingly pushed on. At every swamp pond or mud puddle she paused to scowl at it in hatred. This was why the trek was taking so long. Whenever a pond appeared, she would either find a way around it, or climb tentatively over tree roots to cross it. Words of complaint were muttered constantly.

A good half hour had passed by the time the glow of a campfire shone through the trees. The sun was completely gone by this point. Apart from the fireflies, the campfire was the only way to see anything. The PNK woman sighed in relief. Finally, the one thing she was glad to see after being sent on a walk through this nightmare.

Randall saw the fire before she did and climbed higher for a better view.

It was a small campsite, just as he hoped. He counted no fewer than three tents constructed of what looked like a black plastic tarp, a bed sheet, and an old patchwork quilt. All around were knapsacks overflowing with various objects such as cups, tools, fishing gear, jars of foraged food, maps, and sunhats. A smell of freshly cooked game hovered in the area; the flames of the fire illuminated everything very clearly…

With a pang of alarm, Randall noticed a shotgun lying in plain sight. He blended into the moss of the tree and watched with caution.

There was one new monster sitting on a mushroom-covered log and eating a hunk of cooked meat. Judging by the number of tents, Randall deduced there were a least three monsters to contend with. He squinted at the stranger and at the shotgun at her feet.

She would have been about a head shorter then him if she'd been standing. Her skin was scaly, in a dark forest green color with gold speckles on her face and limbs. She seemed to be partly aquatic; numerous fins ran down her skull and back. Long fin-tipped feelers grew out of her head, gill slits lined her long torso, and her tail ended in an eel-like fashion. Her teeth did not have much sharpness to them; she didn't seem to have any other form of self-defense. No claws, no fangs, nothing. Yet her face was hard and stern—the face of a survivor.

Randall watched as the PNK woman trudged up to the aquatic one and tossed the backpack of water bottles to the ground. "There! Done!" she announced.

"What took so long? The stream isn't that far—" the stranger looked up from her hand-held meaty dinner.

"I was trying to stay in one piece! This place is crawling with bugs, every living thing wants to _kill us_ , and there is so much mud and muck that I can't take a step without getting drenched in it! Why was _I_ sent traipsing around through it all just to get _water_ , anyway?"

"Because it's your turn, _Princess_ ," the aquatic woman said sternly with the insult. "Please don't start whining again, Naomi. We're all getting pretty sick of it."

Randall's memory was suddenly jogged…Naomi…Naomi Jackson! That was her name.

"I can whine as much as I want, thank you very much. There is _nothing_ good to say about this gator-infested deathtrap! How long did Bernard say we have to stay here?"

"For the final time, we are not staying. We are _passing through_. There's a difference. The coast is only a few days from here."

"A 'few days' always turns into more, I've noticed." Naomi frowned and crossed her arms haughtily. She then began pacing, still venting off anger. "It takes forever for us to get anywhere. I'm sick and tired of this!"

"Well, you're going to have to get used to it. You're stuck out here, whether you like it or not. So quit acting like a spoiled little rich girl."

"Don't talk like that!" Naomi looked alarmed. "I'm sure my name will be cleared soon…someone will come and fetch me."

"That's what you've been saying since winter. Just face reality: you're not going back." The harsh realistic tone of the green monster's voice put an end to the discussion, leaving Naomi looking crest-fallen. The former PNK member stopped pacing and merely stood there, scraping mud from her dress.

The aquatic-lizard woman sighed, her own temper subsiding. "Hungry?" she changed the subject and offered some of the meat.

"What is it?" Naomi wrinkled her nose.

"I dunno. Some rodent I killed. A bit tough, but it's still food."

"Not right now. Let me get cleaned up, first." Naomi began walking out of the campsite, presumably to find a place to bathe.

"No point in that, you know. You'll only get dirty again." The forest green monster resumed eating. "Take a pistol, you might run into a gator!"

"I'll be fine!" Naomi called as she walked off. "You'll never catch me using one of those things anyway. They're barbaric!"

Up in the treetops, Randall tried to piece together this story. So the PNK woman hadn't been here very long…only a few months at the most, still wearing a Scream Industries uniform. As to _why_ she had been banished, he was completely clueless. The Python Nu Kappa sorority—at least back in college—had all been smart, hard-working overachievers. Seeing one of them in the Human World was certainly a strange sight.

The aquatic woman looked to be around his own age, and it was obvious she had been banished for some time. From what he had witnessed thus far, she was not one to anger. Anyone who knew their way around pistols and shotguns was not to be messed with.

Still, these were the first monsters Randall had seen in over a year. How many made up the group was a mystery, but that was easy to solve. He would wait up here and keep watching. When it seemed safe, only then would he show himself.

He hoped he wouldn't have to be alone anymore…if he spent too much time talking to himself, there was a definite possibility of going crazy!

…

About fifteen minutes later, Naomi returned mud-free with damp purple hair plastered down her back. She had changed into a plain grey outfit and was wringing out her red work dress. "Well, these have seen better days…" she held up her falling-apart boots.

"Just toss them, already. There are more important things to worry about then footwear. Like how we're going to get through the city."

"Can't we just go around it?" Naomi sat down on the log and helped herself to the mystery rodent.

"Maybe. There are a lot of trailer parks around here, but they shouldn't be too hard to avoid. I still say it would be best to follow the river. With a little mud, we could all pass off as swamp animals."

Naomi choked. "And get shot at?! No thank you, Becca! And you're not talking me into more mud! I say we head through the city itself by night. No one will see us then."

The aquatic monster rolled her eyes. "Stupid idea. Let's just drop it and figure it out in the morning. We'll take a vote on it at breakfast."

Naomi pouted. She sat in silence for a few minutes while she ate. Several bugs got in the way and she swatted at them with every other bite. During this time, the crickets began to chirp soothingly, which helped cool down her bad mood. With the stars peeping through the overhead branches, the atmosphere was becoming far more relaxed. The two monsters began letting their guard down just a tad. Naomi pulled a blanket from a knapsack to sit on by the fire, while Becca stretched out full-length on the log.

"Where are the others? They should be back by now." Naomi asked, combing her hair with her claws.

"Bernard's out scouting the area and Suzie went with him. Won't be surprised if she wanders off, though."

"Betcha she won't; she's been pretty good lately."

"Ha! If you're right, I'll take your shift to stand guard," Becca said. "And if I'm right, you take mine."

"Deal. I could use some extra sleep." Naomi dug through the knapsack in search of something else edible. She pulled out a glass jar stuffed with wild berries. Sighing in disappointment, she munched away on them along with the meat. "You know, I'd give anything for microwave lasagna. It was my favorite dinner."

"Gourmet sushi was mine."

"That's no surprise; you and your seafood!" Naomi tossed a berry at her, her mood becoming far more cheerful.

So there were four of them…Randall had seen enough. This was only a band of survivors trying to stay alive. And probably the only monstrous faces he would ever see again if he didn't make himself known. The thought of living alone for the rest of his existence was too depressing to even think about.

He slowly shifted from moss green back to his natural purple scales. _Time to do this_ …he couldn't remember the last time he felt this nervous! Purposefully, he made plenty of noise while climbing down the tree. It was to grab the other monsters' attentions and not alarm them.

Becca was the first to hear the shuffling. She sat up on the log and looked into the dark undergrowth. Her attitude quickly returned to its hard-surfaced nature. She couldn't see anything but fireflies buzzing around; it was so dark tonight. Noises coming from an unknown source were never a good thing, especially out here. "That you, Bernard?"

Randall's heart pounded hard enough to hurt; the nerves were terrible! _No going back now_ …he answered her aloud, finally speaking to someone after over a year: "No…"

He climbed over a few roots and stepped into the light of the campfire, twenty feet away from them. The sudden bright glow made him blink. He stood there in full view, waiting to see what these strangers would do.

Naomi remained sitting on the blanket with a hunk of food paused halfway to her mouth, and stared at him in utter surprise. All three of her blue eyes bulged from their sockets.

Becca, however, had picked up the shotgun and was aiming it straight at him.

 **Cliffhanger!**


	4. A Tense Meeting

Chapter Three: A Tense Meeting

"Don't move," Becca warned, her finger on the trigger. "Hands in the air—all of them!"

Randall half-expected something like this to happen. He had been shot at before, but something this close range would not be pleasant. So he did what he was ordered, keeping his distance and staying near the trees.

"Who the hell are you?" Becca demanded.

"That's obvious, isn't it?" He frowned with impatience. "I'm exiled, like you."

Naomi hadn't moved from the blanket, nor stopped staring in disbelief. Suddenly, she lit up with recognition and stood so as to get a better look at him. "Wait…I know you! Monsters University, right? Weren't you in the Scare Program?"

"Yes. Top of the class my senior year."

"Of course! I thought you looked familiar. What's your name again? Boggs, right? I think I remember a couple of scare demonstrations in the lecture hall—"

"Good grief, Naomi! You're supposed to back me up here!" Becca scolded. "Total strangers wandering into camp are _not wanted._ If he had been one of the trailer park people, we'd be in even deeper trouble. You probably led him here and didn't even know it!"

Naomi pouted, annoyed at her friend's truth. "Well, he's _not_ human, is he? So no harm done," she turned back to the scaly purple lizard, who still held his hands in the air. "Now, let's get back to introductions."

"Randall Boggs. And you're Naomi Jackson, from what I remember," He then nodded towards the forest green stranger. "I think I heard your name was Becca?"

"Yes. Now that we all know each other, enough chitchat! How long have you been spying on us?" she raised the shotgun once again.

"Really, Becca, you're embarrassing yourself." said Naomi.

Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. Randall's basic instincts told him to disappear and make a run for it. The sensation of blending away into thin air was threatening to take over automatically, but he fought it with all his might. Having a shotgun aimed at him wasn't helping.

"I'm not taking any chances," Becca explained. "Last time we dropped our guard trying to make friends, I had to kill that guy. We swore it wouldn't happen again! And there are enough monsters in our group, anyway."

"Are there only four of you?" Randall asked.

Naomi nodded. "Uh huh; but even with five, we'd still be a small enough group."

"Absolutely not. If he joins, there is a greater risk of one or all of us getting captured, dissected, and who-knows-what-else, or risk exposing the entire world of Monsters in the long run," Becca lectured. "No. There is too much danger, letting him join."

This wasn't going at all well. Not at all like the way he wanted. _Think of something, quick! Get on their good side_! It was time to use some of his old deviousness. Maybe a pity story would do the trick…"If you don't want me around, just shoot me already! Please. You'd be doing me a favor."

That got Naomi's attention, at least. She took a step closer to clearly see every scar and bite-mark decorating Randall's body. Light from the campfire flickered to outline every one. The freshest was on his face, and still healing. The sight of all these wounds was enough to prove that he had had a rough stretch. Naomi asked carefully. "Just how long have you been here?"

"Little over a year. And you two are the first I've spoken to in all this time," Randall watched their faces carefully. "So if you plan on shooting me, just do it. That would be better than living in solitude."

Back in the bright firelight, Becca's harsh face softened over so slightly. _Bingo_.

"Hmm…" Becca grumbled. "Naomi, get over here. You, Boggs or whoever you are, you hold that thought and don't move from that spot."

Good. The tactic seemed to be working. Randall had convinced the Python Nu Kappa woman, anyway. A part of him was worried that not all of these strangers would be so easy-going. All he wanted was some company. Was that so much to ask? It wasn't as if he was going to attack them all and steal supplies and weapons. Perhaps that was why Becca was acting so paranoid.

The two strangers began whispering in hushed voices, too quiet to hear.

Because the shotgun was still raised, Randall kept still. He blew at some passing fireflies while waiting. There was still a shred of hope; if this went well, he wouldn't have to constantly talk to himself.

Out of earshot, Becca pulled Naomi's head down lower to whisper in her ear. "Well, what do you think?"

"It can't hurt letting Bernard talk to him. There are four of us and one of him. And he's unarmed."

"That doesn't mean there's nothing to worry about," Becca glanced at the lean muscles and numerous scars of the purple lizard, who was watching fireflies in a bored way. "By the looks of it, he's been in a lot of fights and won."

"But that's a good thing, isn't it?" Naomi tried to make her see sense. "A fighter will come in handy, especially in this state. It won't be long until one of us gets eaten. Do you know how many close calls we've had lately? Even with the guns, it's tough."

"It wouldn't be if you'd just learn how to use one."

"No way! Besides," Naomi took another glance at Randall. "He looks pretty strong. We could use extra help with hunting."

Becca gave a questioning look, still very unsure.

"Bernard's not exactly a young guy, you know," Naomi went on. "Another fighter may be just what we need. Think about it!"

That seemed to convince Becca, for she began weighing the pros and cons in her head. The next minute or so was silent while she thought. Only the crickets chirped from the dark undergrowth and the fire crackled and popped yellow flames. The PNK woman's mind was already decided. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as she awaited Becca's choice.

"Hey! My arms are getting tired! Are you going to shoot me or not?" Randall called from the flickering shadows.

Becca finally lowered the shotgun. "…You can come up to the fire, but nothing is decided yet. Bernard is in charge around here! When he and Suzie get back, we'll figure out what to do with you, Boggs." Becca took a sideways look at Naomi. "Not all of us are so easily won over."

…

Naomi was full of conversation with this newcomer's arrival. She sat on one side of the campfire with Randall, asking all sorts of questions about his time alone here in the swamp. On the other side of the fire was Becca, on the mushroom-covered log, warily watching. The shotgun rested a hand's breadth away as a precaution.

He and the PNK sorority member may not be college-age teenagers anymore, but she still acted like one to some extent. She still spoke in that cheery, high-pitched voice and was a bit too preoccupied with her appearance. When her hair was fully dried, she kept fussing and fretting over it vainly. She chatted with Randall about days at Monsters' University, doing most of the talking, and went on with how she and a few of her sorority sisters had gotten jobs at Scream Industries.

"…and it was back in the fall when Carrie, Heather and I started a friendly bet to see who could gather the most screams by Christmas. At first it was fun, but after a while, Heather got lucky with oodles of slumber parties and Carrie was experienced enough to scare the older kids, which of course generates more power, so both of them got way ahead of me! All I needed was a few hundred points more to catch up," Naomi chattered on. "So I tapped into the computer system so points from the other scarers would be transferred to my own score. It worked, too! But Carrie and Heather found out. Boy, were they mad! I doubt they'll ever speak to me again…" she looked down at the ground, slightly ashamed. "Turns out transferring points is punishable by banishment. Carrie turned me in last winter, and I was thrown into some random place in Arizona. That's where Bernard, Becca and Suzie found me a few weeks later."

"And she should be grateful we came along," Becca added from her spot on the log. "Another day and I'm sure you would've jumped into the Great Canyon."

Randall knew what she was referring to. "The Grand Canyon?"

"Yeah, that's it. I _hate_ the outdoors; I was starving, and bored out of my skull!" Naomi complained. "Jumping off a cliff sounded like a great idea at the time!"

"At least help found you, eventually," Randall commented. He was choosing his words wisely. It was vital he played his 'sorrowful story' act to its fullest, just until earning the group's trust. "Sometimes I take supplies from the trailer parks around here, but beyond that, I've been on my own. Been spotted and shot at a couple of times—"

Here, Naomi made a troubled face, but Becca remained emotionless.

"—out here, it's either toughen up or get eaten by alligators." Randall had yet to tell how he had come to be in the swamp; he'd think up a believable excuse later, when the other monsters returned from scouting. For now, he looked over at Becca. "So, what's your story?"

"I'm not telling you! Naomi can babble all she wants, but I'm not saying a word!"

"She will in time," Naomi told him in a whisper. "She's always the cautious one."

 _Great. Now my plan just got harder._ Randall thought. The woman probably wanted to shoot him right now.

…

It wasn't long after when a new face appeared, striding out of the bayou's moss-draped trees.

Randall was not easy to intimidate. The sight of the leader of this band of survivors worried him a good deal, though…

Bernard was built like a gorilla and stood extremely tall. His skin was bright red, which was no doubt easy to spot from a distance. His head was disproportionally small with huge teeth that stuck out from the mouth like an angler fish. Colorful feathers grew out of his head and down his back. When the hulking leader strode into camp, the crest of feathers popped up in surprise upon seeing the newcomer.

Randall stared right back, calmly. This guy was big enough to tear him to pieces. He would have to be careful.

Bernard was a little bit older, in his late fifties. Wrinkles had begun to line his eyes and cheeks. There was a worn-out, weathered look about him, and he walked quite slowly on short legs. But right away, Randall could tell the stranger had had a lot of experience in the Human World.

"Look who finally showed up!" Becca commented on the red monster's appearance. "We have a visitor, Bernard."

The man took off his backpack of supplies and settled down on the log. The astonishment on his fearsome face evaporated quickly. "Well…it looks like we missed something big; you'd better start explaining, fast."

 _Whew! At least he's not as crazy as Becca._ Randall thought as the others launched into the tale of all that had happened this evening. While they were busy, he finally noticed that the mysteriously Suzie was present as well. She had been quiet and completely blocked from view by Bernard's stature, but now stood wide-eyed, staring with curiosity.

She was physically similar to Becca—Randall suspected they could even be related, but surely family members couldn't be banished together, right? Suzie was smaller, with the same long body, eel-tail, and more fin-tufted feelers, but fewer fins. Her scales were a rich royal blue color with the same golden speckles, scattered all over her face and limbs. Randall noticed how young she was; she couldn't have been more then eighteen or nineteen years old. Barely out of high school.

"…and now you're here, so what's your opinion about all this?" Becca was finishing up.

Bernard had listened attentively. He turned to Randall, who was still seated on the mossy ground. "Bernard Brennan; nice to meet you," he introduced himself. "So you already know Naomi, is that right? This is Suzanne and Rebecca McKeen, but we'll get to formalities later. Now, let's get straight to the point: Why do you want to join us?"

 _OK, Randall. Talk your way into this._ "Well…why not?" he said simply. "There's safety in numbers, right? And I'm going stir-crazy out here by myself."

"By the look of you, it doesn't seem like you need help," Bernard sensed this strong, capable monster was doing just fine on his own. "But…if you want to join us, I don't see why not."

 _Yes!_ Randall cheered in his head. Finally, his year of solitude may be ending!

"On one condition," Bernard warned with sternness. "Under no circumstances are you to touch our weapons. No shotgun, no pistols, no knives, nothing. Not until I'm sure we can trust you. The last time a stranger was welcomed in our midst there was…an accident. If you're smart, the same thing won't happen to you."

Naomi and a wide-eyed Suzie looked worried at the statement. Becca only propped her chin on an elbow and frowned.

Randall nodded at the red monster. "Understood. So…where is it you're all heading?"

"To the coast. Or as near to it as possible." Bernard paused to take a hunk of cooked mystery rodent from the fire. "A single monster is hard to find, but a whole group of them is easier to track. That's why we keep on the move; to avoid detection from people. With the weather getting so warm, the coast will be a nice place to spend the summer."

"Excellent! This should be fun!" Naomi clapped her hands. "Now, when do we get out of this ghastly swamp?"

"In a few days, Naomi. Just keep walking through the mud and be patient."

Naomi pouted in disgust.

Becca evidently was fed up with this meeting. She pulled the quiet Suzie aside, beyond the bright glow of the campfire, to talk in whispering voices. Now it was obvious the two were related; side by side, the resemblance was uncanny.

Bernard and Naomi began asking Randall questions about the bayou and how he had survived there. Luckily, neither asked why he was banished in the first place. That was fine; there was time to think up a good story. _There is no way I can admit to the scream extractor. Like that'll ever gain anybody's trust…_

Bernard began explaining plans for the upcoming summer. Privately, Randall didn't think it was such a good idea. Coastal regions were littered with people during the summer months. But he said nothing. It would be interesting to see how this would all play out.


	5. Into the City

**In this part, Randall takes the first steps in trying to earn the group's trust. And so the adventures begin!**

Chapter Four: Into the City

Earlier, Naomi and Becca had made a bet to see whether or not Suzie would wander off during the scouting trip—apparently she had a terrible sense of direction. Since Naomi had won, she was free to sleep all she wanted while Becca took over her shift for guard duty.

Randall was only guessing, but he was sure the normal routine was for everyone to take turns staying awake, keeping an eye out for wild animals, or worse. It made sense, but it really would have been easier if everyone took to the trees. Never before had he faced dangers while sleeping off the ground.

Nobody yet trusted him to take a shift. Bernard promptly forbad it. That was fine. At least he could get a good night's rest after this interesting evening. Up in a tree, he stretched out and got comfortable, coiling his tail around the branch. What a day! And he still needed to think up a believable banishment story. One without scream extractors and kidnapping human children…the more he brainstormed, the drowsier he became. Down in the campsite, the fire still crackled steadily. He heard the voice of Becca, who was passing the shotgun over to Suzie.

"Now, we need you to keep a sharp lookout. If the new guy wakes up, you know what to do. Think you can keep him in line?"

"Sure thing."

"You can handle it, right? If it's too much, I can—"

"Relax, Becca. I'll be _fine_! Don't worry so much. Now, you go get some sleep."

Randall was nearly asleep himself. Despite her age and small size, Suzie looked quite capable of handling a shotgun. The way Becca spoke to her confirmed his suspicions that they were related somehow. The scary-stern woman spoke to the girl more gently and with a lot of caring protectiveness in her voice. It was baffling: how had Suzie been banished so young? When he had been in his teens, he was striving to become the best scare student at university. (Which he eventually did.) Not fighting to stay alive in the wilderness.

If he was to be a part of this group, it wouldn't hurt to learn a little more about them. He resolved to start asking questions as soon as the opportunity arose.

…

By the time everybody was up and about, the sun was high enough to cut through the overhead canopy. It was still tinged a bright early-morning gold and was quite pleasant. Birds had begun twittering. If only hisses from nearby snakes didn't ruin the beauty of it all. Naomi was jumping every minute and swatting at any bugs that flew too close for her liking.

"Ugh. I _hate_ this place!" she complained as the other monsters gathered around the flameless campfire. "The sooner we leave the better."

"Think of this whole experience as camping. Permanently." said Becca shortly.

"The only camping trip I was on was with my sorority sisters, and we had a proper roof, real food, and working bathrooms! With toilets and mirrors and everything!"

"That's enough, girls," yawned Bernard, stretching his back as he emerged from his tent. "It's too early for this. Let's eat and take a vote about the city plans. We'll be coming up to it soon and can't put off making a plan any longer."

Breakfast was a collection of edible roots and leftovers from dinner last night; nothing terribly appetizing. Randall imagined all the delicious things he could prepare if only he had the ingredients. Even simple things like toast with jam, cereal, and fruit juice; there wasn't anything like that out here. It was obvious Naomi Jackson had yet to adjust to eating what you had instead of what you wanted. She wrinkled her nose if distaste, but ate anyway.

The whole gang was circled around the campfire. Randall sat back by a fraction; he was still an outsider, after all, and decided to play it safe. Becca was carrying the shotgun around, Bernard remained wary, and Suzie had not even spoken to him yet. Naomi seemed to trust him far more, since he was a familiar sight from school. That was a start, at least.

"Alright, let's get underway. You, Randall, feel free to make suggestions if you like." Bernard began the meeting. "The city is the only thing standing between us and one final stretch to the coast. Whatever we decide, it will have to take place after dark. My hope is that we can simply go around it by the long way. It's less dangerous, and there's less chance of running into humans. Naomi, didn't you agree?"

"Well…I _did_ …But it'll take us another week of travel! I want to go straight through the city by the fastest way. It's been so long since any of us stepped foot in civilization."

"I say we go along the river," chimed in Becca. "There are lots of bridges to hide under, and we can stay hidden on the banks."

"Oh, no. You're not having me plod through the mud again!" Naomi fumed, her three eyes glowing red.

"Enough." Bernard sighed, lest an argument start. "What about you, Suzie?"

"Well…the river seems like the smartest way. It's not as fast as the direct path, but not too long, either."

"Good point, good point…" Bernard scratched his feather crest. "That's two votes for the river. What about you, New Guy? What do you want to do?"

So, he was just 'the new guy?' Randall frowned. That was it! He was just going to have to prove his worth! Surely there were things he could be useful for. A master of stealth would be just the thing for this upcoming scheme. Without hesitation, he blended away into thin air. The strangers' reactions were just as he had hoped.

Bernard flinched, feathers popping up in astonishment. The aquatic-reptilian hybrids both yelped loudly and fell backwards off the log. Even Naomi jumped, though not as dramatically. The looks on their faces were priceless! Randall smiled in his invisible state.

"Ha ha! I remember that trick!" Naomi applauded. "You were top of the class because of it, right? What's creepier then a sneak attack scare?"

"Well, getting through the city will be easy for _you_ ," Bernard commented as Randall reappeared.

"Supply raids are easy, too. I can steal just about anything: tools, matches, ammo, things like that. If you guys ever get low on something, I can get more." _There. That should prove I'll come in handy_. "But moving on, I think the river is the best choice, too."

"Looks like it's settled, then. The river it is," said Bernard. "We leave right after breakfast. We'll make a pit stop at your camp before heading off, though. I'd like to see that bow and arrow project of yours."

…

The tents were soon dismantled, folded up, and packed. Everyone carried their own knapsack of supplies and their own weapons. Naomi only had a small kitchen knife, while the others all had some sort of firearm. The PNK woman stubbornly refused to even touch one, saying they were 'cruel tools of death.' The only things left of the campsite were a few charred remnants of wood from the fire. All footprints were rubbed away. No one would ever know that monsters had been here.

At Randall's tree, he gathered a backpack of whittled bowls and cups, knives, twine, fishing nets, a string of tin cans, and his precious slingshot. The attempted bow and arrow set was also taken; maybe he would figure out a way to make it work during the journey. As an afterthought, he took a few packets of seeds to plant. If he was going to settle elsewhere for the season, it never hurt to be prepared.

It was almost a relief to be leaving the hideout. It had never really felt like home, despite the last year of living here. Leaving to explore with this band of survivors felt very elating, but of course he wasn't going to admit that aloud.

 _So long, tree! Hope I never see you again_. He thought, saying goodbye to his secluded, lonely home.

…

For the next day, the travelers stayed in the bayou, moving south. There were a couple of alligator encounters, but they were all dealt with easily. Randall discovered just how good a shot Becca was with that gun; she only had to kill one gator, but it was an instant kill between the eyes. Another incident was handled by Bernard. A smaller gator he punched and scared off using his bare fists, although it left him very winded afterwards. Naomi felt that fighting was beneath her and didn't seem to understand how it was necessary out here. Whenever a swamp creature burst forth from the water—weather it be a frog or gecko—she dashed off to safety in the opposite direction. Randall hadn't had a chance to see how Suzie handled herself in these wetlands. The girl carried a small handgun, and was keeping close to Becca for now.

Nobody had said much to him during that day. Just as he was observing them, they were no doubt doing the same thing to him.

The defeated alligator ended up as the group's dinner, so there was no need to hunt that evening. This annoyed Randall quite a bit. He could've shown off his hunting skills, the ones that involved biting a gator to death with only his own teeth. Instead, he infiltrated a trailer park to steal some ammunition for the group. The feat had impressed Suzie and Bernard, but Becca still needed convincing.

How frustrating! Here he was, trying to be useful, and he didn't even get a 'thank you' for the ammunition. This was going to be tough goal, trying to win them over.

…

By late afternoon the following day, the edge of a city could be spotted if someone climbed high enough in the trees. They had set up a quick campsite to rest for a couple of hours before the mission. Becca promptly ordered the 'New Guy' to climb up and see how much farther they had to go.

"Not far," Randall reported when he climbed down. "Twenty minute walk at the most."

"Good. Let's wait until midnight, at least. You'd be surprised how many people wander the streets after dark."

"You've gone into cities before?"

"A few times. It's not exactly easy, you know, so it happens pretty rarely."

"So, how long have you been out here, then?" Randall brought up as casually as he could. Out of all these strangers, Becca was the least likely to strike up a conversation.

She sighed as they strolled back into the campsite. "Three years, now. Suzie and I were thrown through a door into northern Canada. In the middle of winter, no less! Who does that? It was worse than a nightmare."

"Then you two _are_ related, then?"

"Yes, if you must know, Boggs. She's my sister…and don't ask us why we were banished." She snapped, sensing he was just about to. "Help us get through the city, and _maybe_ I'll tell you."

Randall grumbled, irritated by her stubbornness.

He joined the others by the tiny fire to eat a well-deserved dinner after today's long hike. They would all need to get some sleep before midnight. The city was not a massive metropolis; it was more like a very large town, with the tallest buildings being only three stories high. Nonetheless, no one was a hundred percent sure if all five of them would make it through unscathed.

Well, _he_ would make it through just fine. His powers sure came in handy for stuff like this.

The first step of the plan was getting down to the river itself. After that, it would be smooth sailing. The group gathered at the end of a residential street, keeping in the shadows. Trinkets and tools dangling from the knapsacks jingled, so right away they were secured tightly. It was vital the group stay as quiet as possible.

Bernard pulled their heads together in a huddle. "Alright, let's focus, everyone. The river isn't that far; look, you can almost see it from here."

"Great. Let's go!" Naomi smiled and stepped nonchalantly onto the sidewalk.

"Hold it, missy," Bernard pulled her back. "In case something happens while we're here, we meet on the other side of the city. Just follow the river and meet on the opposite bank, where the swampland begins again."

"OK, got it. But what could possibly happen? Let's go, already."

By night, the Human World was far more foreboding. Dark shadows wrapped around every corner and street lights cast eerie glows over the pavement. The buildings here had an older look about them, with summer flowers overgrowing in their gardens. No lights shone from the windows, which was a good sign. Most people should be asleep in their beds right now.

If a monster was banished, there were really no laws to live by anymore. You were free to do whatever you wanted, basically, but the number one law that no one would ever break was this: do _not_ make anyone aware of the Monster World. That would only lead to trouble on both sides of the closet doors. Scaring little kids seemed to be the only exception to the rule.

Randall took a glance at the black sky. There was no moon tonight. Good. That would help move things along faster. He scurried on all eights to catch up with the others. None of them spoke; it was just like a spy mission, the way they crept from shadow to shadow, ducking behind parked cars and mailboxes. Bernard's short legs slowed him down, so he hid between various houses instead. Bright red was such an easy color to spot, even in the dead of night. The older monster silently ushered the group to go on ahead of him.

Randall was finding this all too easy. He shifted into whatever surface he happened to be touching. Even while wearing a backpack, it was difficult to spot him.

"Stop," Suzie whispered. She pulled everyone into the shadow of a car. "I saw a guy staring out a window. Up there, second floor. Naomi, get down!"

Naomi squatted beside her. "It's so dark out, I doubt he saw anything."

Randall crouched as well, not wanting to get separated. He glimpsed Bernard's red form peeking out from an alley some way back. It then occurred to him that maybe they could all don disguises and pass off as humans. On dark nights like this, no one would notice from a distance. Maybe he should bring the idea up later…right now, Naomi was talking so loudly that the group was sure to draw attention.

"Hey," he hissed at her. "Save it for later!"

She pouted and said nothing after that.

Bernard managed to catch up a few minutes later. "Whew! How nerve-racking! Are we all here?" He counted heads once they were safely down the slope of the riverbank. By staying low, they had all made it down the street without trouble; even with Naomi's chatter.

The chirping crickets were louder down here, and the ground was soft and wet with squishy moss. This river was quite wide; on the opposite bank, more buildings and houses rose into the black sky. Bernard squinted at them with concern. "It would be suicide trying to sneak through all that! C'mon. There are a few miles to go before we're out of this."

"A few miles, still?" Naomi crossed her arms. "Will we have solid ground to walk to by the end?"

"Just _walk,_ you little rich girl!" Becca snapped. "And keep your voice down. If you get us caught, I swear I'll throw you to the gators myself!"

They began marching along the river, traversing logs, tall grasses and keeping a sharp watch for alligators. Very likely some of the reptiles would swim downstream, and nobody wanted to use the firearms here. All they could do was keep their fingers crossed and hope the trek would be uneventful.

Randall didn't mind wading through the banks. In a weird way, he almost _hoped_ a predator would magically appear. If the strangers saw how well he handled himself in the wilderness, there was a guaranteed, permanent spot within the group. He'd show them all…There was a fear of being abandoned if he didn't. Spending the rest of his life in isolation was no wish of his.

They were walking single-file and moving far too slow for his liking. At this rate, it would be dawn by the time the city came to an end.

Suzie slipped off her backpack and tossed it to Naomi, who was a bit distracted looking at the night stars. "Hold this for a second. I need a bit of water. And here," she handed over the handgun as well. "Be very careful with that; the safety is off." She waded out a few paces and ducked under. Last to disappear were her fin-tipped feelers. When she surfaced, her royal blue face looked instantly hydrated. It was probably something to do with the aquatic half of her.

"Me too," Becca gave her pack to Bernard and followed her sister.

Naomi was holding the pistol nervously, as if the thing would bite her.

Bernard warned them, "Hurry up, girls; we have to make the most of our time. And Randall, don't fall so far behind."

Randall moved up. In the darkness, he squinted, and saw Naomi fiddling with the weapon, as if intrigued by it. Was this the first time she had ever held a firearm? He approached, worried she would drop it in the water or something. "You shouldn't be playing with that. Firearms really don't seem to be your thing."

"Nope. They're so loud and barbaric. Whoever invented these things?" She went on examining it, anyway. She began pondering whether she should learn how to use one.

Randall refrained himself from interfering when Naomi's claws began getting stuck in a crack near the handle. "Please don't do anything stupid. Are you even supposed to be holding that at all?"

"Relax. The safety is on—"

BANG!

A shot was fired into the air, loud enough to wake the district. Randall was aware of barking dogs and people switching their lights on in the closest houses. With panic, he realized the group had ventured close to a densely populated area. A few human voices called out into the night, shouting concerns to their neighbors. Worse still, doors slammed as they meandered outside to investigate.

"Naomi, you nitwit! Give me that!" Becca snatched the pistol from her, tossing to back to Suzie. "What's the matter with you? Shooting lessons later!"

"I'm sorry! What happened? The safety was on!"

"What? I said it was ' _off._ ' Weren't you listening?" Suzie began panicking at the sound of approaching people, not sure what to do.

"Hush!" Bernard ordered quietly. "They're coming! Naomi, with me, Randall you go with the others. Scatter! Meet where we discussed!"

Suzie and Becca retrieved their knapsacks, and in a flash, the party split up.

Not looking to see where Bernard and Naomi went, Randall followed the sisters downstream a little ways, until they ran back amongst the houses and slipped into an alley. Both of the monsters breathed heavily with nerves. Suzie was looking very scared, but Becca positively fumed! Thanks to Naomi, people could spot them any second. If that happened, it was straight to a science lab and putting the whole Monster World at risk.

"Curse that girl! She is absolutely useless out here. I hope a gator eats her."

Human footsteps grew louder and closer every second. It sounded as if the dogs had been let loose, by the volume of the barking.

Randall, who was tense, but more or less focused on their dilemma, grabbed a hand of either sister and made a run for it, going deeper into the alleyways. Hiding may be a cinch for someone like him, but for the others, not as much. "Never mind Naomi. We'll tear her to pieces later," he panted. "C'mon, we have to hide. Now!"

 **I think that counts as a small cliffhanger. It's fun to be typing this all out again! Much of the following chapters will be a series of interesting events as our heroes try to go about their lives, just trying to stay alive and undetected. (Kind of like a survival story.) After that, things will really get interesting as the plot gets more and more serious. Hope you'll stick with me to the end! Please be polite in any reviews you feel like leaving. Thanks! :)**


	6. Backstories

**Chapter 5, when Randall learns a little more about his not-quite-friends-yet, all the while keeping his past a secret. Enjoy!**

Chapter Five: Backstories

No matter where they ran, there was always something to block the path: a dead end, an open intersection, a car driving by, (who'd be driving around at this hour?) or a bunch of partying humans sauntering down the sidewalk.

The monsters dove into the nearest shadows for safety. Once the dangers passed, they emerged and kept on running. The commotion was growing steadily close, it seemed. Every passing second was an opportunity to get caught by curious people. It was vital to get away at all costs! No one was speaking, saving their breath for running. Randall dragged the others through as many twists and turns as possible. After a while, the houses all started looking identical. Every backyard was the same; all the parked cars were the same model. Perhaps it had something to do with their panic.

No one had a clue where the river was now. The cricket songs had long since faded. Wherever had Bernard and Naomi gone?

"Where's the river? Where is it?" Becca hissed as Randall dragged them into another alley.

"How should I know?" he panted. He poked his head out to peer down the foreign street. The neighborhood was merging into a shop-filled area of town. Across the street were a music store, a laundromat, and a second-hand book shop. Randall noticed more parking lots appearing the deeper they went into town. But the one landmark they needed was nowhere in sight. The only relief was that the startled, awakened people who had heard the gunshot were far behind them.

"I think we're safe," he slumped against the brick building to rest. "OK, time to get back on track. Anyone know which way to go?"

All three of them poked their heads out, as if expecting their destination to find them.

The calls of the awakened humans were extremely distant; next to impossible to hear, actually. It was a good sign, yes, but not much comfort. The street lights gave everything an eerie, yellowish glow. It was an uninviting thing in this strange place.

"Oh, this is bad…bad, bad," Suzie shivered with nerves. "What do we do, Becca?"

"Keep moving, of course." Becca pulled her sister to her feet, ready to take charge. "The longer we stay in one spot, the more likely we'll be discovered. And I think it'd be best to get out of this place _before_ sunrise. Don't you agree, Boggs?"

Randall scowled at her.

Suzie pushed back her feelers. "Which way, then? You know me, I get lost even with a map!"

"Just—give me a minute." Becca hurried to the other end of the alley to look around. She hoped to have some sense of which way to turn, but the run had confused them all.

"Great. We're lost!" Suzie moaned. "Lost in a human city! Without Bernard and Naomi…they're probably caught already. Let's just turn ourselves in, or take the easy way out and jump in front of the next car that drives by."

"Get ahold of yourself; Geez, you're as bad as Naomi sometimes." Becca whispered loudly. "This isn't _that_ big of a problem."

Randall had caught his breath and still leaning against the brick. Both sets of arms were crossed; he often did that while in thought, or when bored. In this case, it was the former. The sisters began debating which way to go. He watched with interest to see if they could come up with an agreement, but no solution was met. Really, getting out of this city was easy. Why didn't they see it?

He spit out the answer plainly. "We just get to higher ground."

Becca and Suzie froze and looked at him blankly.

Randall groaned. "Do I have to explain? It's kind of obvious—C'mon, start climbing. We'll get out bearings from up there."

He pointed up towards the roof, and at once began scaling the brick building, gecko-like. Becca and Suzie surely had some natural climbing abilities. They tried, but their hands and feet didn't have quite enough grip. The highest they could go was only ten feet before sliding back to the pavement.

 _Honestly, why am I surrounded by incompetence?_ Randall rolled his eyes after he slinked up onto the roof.

This group of monsters was beginning to drive him insane. Naomi's pampered, vain personality would be impossible to deal with. Becca's bossiness had been getting on his nerves since the beginning. Suzie was only a teenager, and he was noticing the girl relied on her sister for everything. His observations of the past few days were evident of that. Bernard may be the most tolerable, but his idea of spending summer at a sure-to-be-crowded coastline was ludicrous.

…Likely this gang of misfits would be the only company he would ever have.

 _May as well go along with it, I guess…_ He thought, remembering his lonely time in the bayous. He stood tall on the roof and looked about. The river couldn't be that far…

Many of the buildings had flat rooftops, and were spread out in such a way that he was able to see pretty far. In the distance, he could just glimpse a long body of water—a bit blurred from his bad eyesight, but there it was. It shouldn't take long to reach it. At the end of the street below were an intersection and a park with a playground beyond. Randall studied all the surroundings, and was positive that heading through the park would be the fastest route. If they got lost again, there was sure to be a street sign or something to guide them.

" _Suzanne_ , what the hell are you doing?" He heard Becca scold as he climbed down to the pavement.

"Dumpster-diving, what does it look like?" the girl's voice echoed metallically. She was out of sight, in a dumpster occupying the alley, tossing out trash as she dug around. "There could be something useful in here."

Randall was about to join in the scolding and tell her to hurry up, but Becca was doing plenty of that. They had no time for this! Bernard and Naomi needed to be found.

"OK, ready," Suzie popped up and she leaped out, holding a few rectangular objects. "Had a feeling there'd be books in there. See, there's a bookstore right across the street."

"Suzie, you know we should only take what we need—"

" _I_ need these," she clutched the old, battered volumes tighter. "Besides, there's enough room in my backpack."

"Finished?" Randall asked impatiently. "If we cut through the park and go a couple of blocks, we'll reach the river in no time. Let's go!"

The trio had no mishaps while crossing the intersection. Just like before, they kept to the shadows and crept from hiding spot to hiding spot. A car did drive by, but by then, they were safe in the little park. The well-groomed bushes and trees were more than enough coverage. Familiar cricket songs rang out once again. Something about the insects made the monster relax; this whole night had been nothing but one big stressful disaster.

Keeping off the gravel paths, Becca led the way. She held her shotgun upright as a precaution, ready to use it as a club should the need arise. Randall noticed Suzie flipping through one of the dumpster-rescued books as she walked. "So, you're a reader, are you?"

"Yes. This one's pretty beat up, and the cover's falling off the other one. Guess the bookstore wasn't able to sell them…I wish we could break into a library, but Bernard won't let me. That's one thing I really miss from Monstropolis."

Randall saw this as a chance to learn about her banishment. "How did you end up out here anyway? I doubt you've even finished high school, if you've been out here for three years already."

"That's true. I was fifteen when I was tossed into Canada with my sister. Not a fun winter, that was."

"But why were you banished?"

Suzie turned to face him. "I wasn't banished. Only Becca was; I'm here by choice. Hasn't she told you yet?"

"Hold on, the authorities _let_ you come out here? Is that even legal?"

"No one even batted an eyelid." Suzie then picked up the pace. "Sorry, Mr. Boggs, but Becca told me not to talk to you. She said she'd shoot you, otherwise."

 _No surprises there. When we get out of this place, I swear I'm getting these guys to talk_ … _I'd better think up my own story, too…_ By the time the river was in full view, he had a believable story ready for when the group was back together.

There was only one more obstacle to face before reaching the banks. A gang of humans was hanging out in a parking lot straight ahead. They sat on the hoods of their cars, talking and laughing so loudly the words practically came out in shouts. Shattered beer bottles seemed to be scattered around. If this gang was in a slightly drunken state, sneaking past would be a tad easier.

Becca and Suzie ducked behind a sidewalk bench to observe the scene. Randall blended into the mailbox beside them. "Is there any way around?" Suzie wondered.

"Only if we back-track," Becca sighed. "There're too many of them; someone is bound to see us—Boggs, what are you doing?"

Randall had taken out his slingshot and was aiming carefully. "You _do_ realize I have a first name? Listen, I can distract these guys while you two sneak past. Better go one at a time. Just in case."

Becca looked wary; dash by all these people with only a few benches for cover? It was almost too risky.

"Do you have another idea, or would you rather waste more time wandering the streets?"

"…well…OK, fine. I'll go first. But you listen to me," Becca pointed at Suzie. "You better keep her safe, or else."

Randall nodded once. He then aimed at a cluster of beer bottles lined up on the car roof. "Ready?"

Becca stayed low and scurried off the moment Randall let the stone fly. It was a perfect distraction. The slingshot was powerful enough to smash more than one glass bottle. Several of the men leapt back in alarm. Some cried out in a slurred sort of way. Everyone's head was turned only for a few seconds, but that was enough time for Becca to get past. She made it to the other end of the parking lot and plunged into the tall grass of the riverbank. The sloping ground took her out of sight completely. The party-goers never suspected a thing.

Randall repeated the process. The first shot didn't hit its mark, but by firing two more stones in quick succession, enough glass was broken to really make the gang nervous. All of them jumped from their car hoods to stare at the mess. Randall made a break for the banks along with Suzie, running between her and the gang's line of sight. The two of them slipped amongst the grass and let out the breath they had been holding.

"Made it!" Suzie danced for joy. Water splashed at her ankles as she jumped around.

"Shh!" Becca appeared. "Let's get further downstream before celebrating. Are you alright?"

"'Course! That slingshot really came in handy, Randall. That was much faster then back-tracking."

Randall joined them, storing away his slingshot as he tripped through the mud. "Told you. So, are you going to get moving, or what?"

"Right. Bernard and Naomi could've made it to the end of the river by now." Becca took the lead again as they resumed the trek.

With crickets and frogs filling the silence, the trio was beginning to feel more at ease. None of them spoke, for this was turning out to be a very long night. With all this walking, sneaking, sprinting, climbing and splashing through gator-infested waters, they were getting very worn out. Randall practically dozed off as he pushed onward. He noticed that the sisters were becoming very fatigued as well. Each footstep was heavier than the last. It would be no surprise if someone fell asleep while hiking, including him. The next hour of wading was lethargic; no one wanted to hike anymore; they were just too tired.

Suzie had had enough of this. "Can we please stop, Becca? I swear I'm gonna pass out in the next ten seconds."

Becca faltered and almost agreed, but Randall advised. "No. We're almost there. Look," he pointed straight ahead at the far off wetland wilderness. The buildings and blinking lights finally came to an end over there. "That's where the others should be. Then we can rest."

Becca was too exhausted to argue. She merely nodded as they all tried to quicken the pace.

…

Not until the sky had begun to brighten did they find a place to rest.

Back in swamp territory, there was one particular tree standing far enough away from the river banks, yet close enough to keep the city in sight. The lights of the buildings glowed far dimmer now. They shone in a tidy little row and posed no threat anymore. The monsters were glad to be away from them.

They decided to risk lighting a small campfire; Bernard and Naomi had yet to show up and would need some hint as to where to go. Randall and the sisters had snoozed lightly, had a drink of water and a quick snack of foraged mushrooms. All kept a close watch for the missing members of the group. With the sky tinted navy blue from the rising sun, it wouldn't be long until they would be forced to leave. The city would come alive soon, and a great many boats may come this way along the river. The vast, empty marshlands had never looked more inviting.

"Ugh. I hate this waiting," Becca paced slowly, staring out at the water. "We don't even know if they got away from that commotion."

"Bernard's never been caught before," Suzie said, looking up from her new book. "He'll get here, with Naomi. Remember, he can't go very fast with those legs of his, so we may have to wait a while."

"But she'll screw things up again, no doubt. That's what is so worrying."

Sitting on a moss-covered boulder, Randall kept himself occupied by whittled a mug from a piece of wood. The sisters had been making small-talk for a while and he was getting tired of it. There were more important things he wanted to know. Now seemed like an impeccable time to learn a few things about his travelling companions. He did not look up as he asked. "Now that we're safe, it's time you both gave me some answers. I want to know why you're exiled. You said you'd tell me if I helped in getting through the city."

Becca put her hands on her hips. "I said ' _maybe_ ' I'd tell you, Boggs."

He groaned in frustration. "Why not tell me? I'm a part of your group, like it or not."

The dark green monster rubbed the fins on her head in a thoughtful manner, still unsure if Randall could be trusted. There was still something about him she didn't like.

Suzie put down her book. "Becca was a scaring coach at Fear Co. I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Suzie!"

"Well, it's true! Let's just tell him already," Suzie ignored her protest. "Basically, her job was to train the new Scarers who got hired, and give tips and pointers, and sometimes tests to everyone, both the new and the well-experienced ones. She loved the job. Admit it, Becca! Quit making that face; you adored being in charge of all those big, scary guys, bossing everyone around, and being called 'Miss McKeen.' No other coach worked harder."

"So, what happened?" asked Randall.

"I came up with a more accurate way to test the employees' abilities, make sure they weren't getting rusty," Becca leaned against a tree, still looking out at the river for signs of life. "Instead of using a simulator, why not use a real door? There's no telling how an actual kid will react to a monster's presence, so I set up the test using the real closets. The recruits did their tests just fine, but turns out it's illegal using doors unauthorized."

"You never cleared your idea with anyone?"

"I was the Chief Scare Coach and Instructor. I didn't think anyone would mind."

"Obviously the head of Fear Co. did," said Suzie. "He took Becca to court and got the CDA involved and everything. This was three years ago; I was only in grade ten when it all happened. Becca was my legal guardian, and when they told me she was facing banishment, I convinced the authorities to let me go, too."

"Why would you do that?" For someone to willingly give up their entire life and future on the spot, just like that, was hard to even comprehend.

"Simple. I didn't want to _never_ see her again. The authorities wanted to place me in foster care, but they seemed to understand my reasons, so they let me go. It was still tough, though. I never even got to finish the tenth grade!" Suzie gazed down at the book on her lap. It appeared to be a science-fiction novel, worn out with age. "I planned on majoring in literature after high school. Maybe become a teacher or something…not gonna happen now…so, Randall, what about you?"

This was it; time to see if his made-up story was as believable as it sounded in his head. He put on the most regretful expression he could muster. He was a decent actor, so hopefully this would work. "Stealing scream energy." It was hard to tell whether the sisters bought it or not. Suzie's face was a tiny bit surprised, but Becca remained neutral. "Power had been cut from my house for over a week. I was desperate for some electricity, so I took a couple canisters home and hooked them up. It worked great! But a couple of co-workers turned me in. Most humiliating experience of my life."

There. That was a plausible tale. With luck, the group would not ask for any details.

"You know how to hook up a scream canister? Nice," Suzie admired. "Were you an engineer or something?"

"Scarer at Monsters, Inc. But I know my way around machines."

"I had a feeling that was your job, the way Naomi was going on about university days…"

For a while, Randall chatted with Suzie about the Monster World, discussing what they missed most about it. Ordinary subjects were brought up, such as what a typical day used to look like, either at school or work. She did not ask further about his banishment. Neither did Becca. They had accepted it without any suspicions, which was just what Randall had hoped.

When a lighter tone of blue seeped into the sky, Becca called out across the soggy swamp, "There they are! Bernard! Naomi, over here!" She jumped up and down and waved her arms. The crack-of-dawn light reflected off her gold-speckled scales, and was an easy target for them.

Bernard huffed and puffed into the campsite. He was dripping wet with parts of his feather crest sticking out at weird angles. A huge sigh of relief escaped him upon seeing the camp. Behind him trudged Naomi, also soaked and looking very miserable.

"At last," Bernard squatted by the fire. "You three would not believe the trouble we had."

"He made me jump off a bridge!" Naomi collapsed flat on her back, pointing at him.

"Yes. After we all split up, we backtracked upstream and went across a bridge to the opposite bank. It seemed safe enough at first."

"But _then_ we were chased a dozen blocks by crazy dogs, had to run across another bridge, and ended up leaping off all because a couple of people were walking in our direction!" Naomi ringed out her purple hair. "Swimming all that way through these waters is not my idea of fun. We could have been eaten by some giant reptile."

"Young lady, you're the reason we all split up in the first place. You're not going _near_ the firearms again, not after tonight's fiasco! When we find a new place to settle, you must learn how to handle a gun properly." Bernard sighed and looked at the others. "So, what happened with you three?"

Becca, Suzie and Randall took turns retelling their ordeal, including the fake backstory of his. When they finished, Bernard began going into greater detail of his and Naomi's own trouble in the city. She was far too grumpy to add anything. Instead, she nibbled on the mushrooms that had been left over. By the look on her face, fungi were far from being her favorite food.

Bernard ate as he spoke. The huge, angler-fish teeth sticking out from his mouth were perfect for catching food when he tossed it up into the air. A couple of large mushrooms were swallowed whole. "So, you worked at Monsters, Inc.?" He remarked to Randall while picking his teeth. "That makes three of you who worked at scare companies. Seems to be the most common place to work prior to getting kicked out."

"And you didn't?" asked Randall.

"Nope. My turn to give a reason for being here, now that everyone else has told their story," Bernard swallowed one last bite before going on. "I was a commercial fisherman in the Monster World. I started my own company with my son and caught for the local markets in town."

"I didn't know that _anyone_ could be tried for banishment. I thought it was only factory workers." Randall was truly startled.

"Oh, I didn't know that, either. But one summer I sold tainted fish to the market. A bunch of monsters ended up in hospital; it ended up being more serious than I thought. Luckily no one died…but the fish was traced back to me, and I was blamed for the outbreak."

"So they threw you out here?" Randall summed up.

Bernard nodded. "Twelve years ago. Becca and Suzie were the first ones I met after the longest time of solitude. Then Naomi came along later…it's never easy, living out here. We have to stay on our guard all the time."

Randall suddenly remembered Becca's ranting words from a few days ago, when he first came out from the trees to meet her and Naomi: _"Last time we dropped our guard trying to make friends, I had to kill that guy! We swore it wouldn't happen again!"_ He began to wonder just how many trials this group had faced, wandering the country just trying to stay alive. He doubted it would be a safe subject to ask about right now. Although the group seemed to be warming up to him, it was still too soon. A subject like that was sure to be touchy.

 _Best play it safe for now._ Randall was in the group for sure, and certainly didn't want to be kicked out.

The clouds up above had turned pink with new sunlight. Birds were welcoming the day with their songs and many of the stars had vanished by now. Moss-draped trees overhead made the sun hard to see, but its light brightened up the swamp enough to bring the monsters back to reality.

It was time to get going.

"Next stop, the coast," Bernard sounded excited as everyone's supplies were packed up. "Finally, saltwater fish will be on the menu, soon."

Becca, Suzie and Naomi all shared his enthusiasm. With beaches, plenty of food to catch, and warm weather, everyone seemed to think this was going to be an easy summer. Randall wasn't so sure…Humans loved to spend the warm seasons by the coast…he had a nagging feeling the upcoming summer would be just as tough as the rest of the year.

 _Oh well. No matter what happens, it'll be more fun than living alone in these swamps._ He shouldered his backpack and tagged along after the group.


	7. The Beach

**Double update! Yay! It's a few weeks later, and Randall is more or less getting along with the group. But the place Bernard wants to spend the summer isn't to Randall's liking. His suggestion to move elsewhere somehow turns into a grand trip to who-knows-where! Enjoy! :)**

Chapter Six: The Beach

Randall crouched low and blended into the grass. Large, long-legged water birds—either cranes or herons—stood innocently just ahead. The flock was small, so Randall picked out the biggest of them. It would surely feed all five monsters, and he could use its feathers to decorate his arrows.

Finally, he had managed to fashion a workable bow. Lots of experimenting had had to be done, and also several raids into human homes to gather proper materials. The bow was simple, made of wood and a bit crude-looking, but it was effective. He carried a few arrows in his lower set of hands and fitted one to the string. When it came to these larger birds, the double-barrel slingshot was no good. This new weapon was better for taking them down. He held his breath and took aim.

Some of the birds perked their long-beaked heads up. How could they _possibly_ hear him? He hadn't made a sound! These birds were far more aware of their surroundings then the ones back in the swamps. Quickly, he fired and made a kill. The rest of the flock flew off in a panic, and water was sent spraying everywhere.

He smiled with satisfaction. There was such diversity when it came to birds near this beach. Hunting was much easier out here. He shouldered the bird to carry back to camp.

It had been nearly three weeks since the group arrived at the coast. A secluded stretch of beach had been discovered and it was relatively free of humans, for now. The land was a tad on the swampy side, though not as much as before. Fewer trees grew around here, which was very worrying to Randall. So far the monsters had been lucky, but it was only a matter of time until they were found.

The wildlife differed from the swamps left behind; here, less dangerous animals made for filling dinners. More wildflowers were scattered around, with lots of wasps to go along with them. The streams and rivers inland bore fewer alligators. Animals such as badgers and raccoons were good opportunities for hunting. At night, nocturnal things like owls and bats could be heard by whoever's turn it was to keep watch over the campsite. Throughout this entire wilderness were lots of edible plants and fresh water to drink. If the monsters did decide to stay here all summer, there was little chance of starving to death.

It was kind of nice, being right by the beach. Many warm afternoons had been spent playing in the waves, just for the fun of it. Naomi preferred to relax on the sand to work on her suntan, but Becca and Suzie were natural swimmers. Bernard was quite a beach-comber, and often spent time exploring the tide pools in search of shellfish. As risky as it was living so out in the open, Randall had actually been enjoying these last three weeks. Getting used to the group was a slow process; it would be a lifetime until he would call any of them 'friend,' though.

The monsters had made a camp amongst the tall, wild grass near the trees, with the beach and ocean in sight. The bedsheet, tarp, and quilt tents were getting a little worse for wear. Pretty soon it would be time to raid a house for new ones. The whole place rested atop a slight hill. It was high enough to see for quite a ways down the sand dunes, and keep a lookout for any fishermen or beach-goers that came this way.

It was to the campsite Randall returned, carrying the dead water bird over his shoulder.

Becca was patrolling along some driftwood logs. A whistle hung from her neck, the perfect alarm in case any unwanted visitors were spotted. The sound carried all the way down to the ocean, where Naomi, Bernard and Suzie could be glimpsed on the sand. "Finally! 'Bout time you showed up, Randall." Becca shouldered her shotgun upon seeing it was only him.

"You're welcome," He sat down on the log to begin plucking feathers. "So, any sightings while I was gone? There were a couple of fishermen near here this morning."

"No, thank goodness. We've been lucky. So _many_ of them are armed…one look at us, and they'll hang us in their trophy rooms!" She looked down at the soothing waves with a touch of worry. "Out of all places to end up, why'd it have to be Texas? _Everyone_ has a gun in Texas!"

Randall said nothing. _He_ had nothing to worry about. It was the others, the monsters who couldn't disappear at will who had it rough. Being so exposed out here on this beach made the problem even rougher. Nevertheless, he was doing his best at being a valuable addition to the group. He had proved his strength and skill when it came to hunting, both with weapons and his bare hands. (The firearms were still off limits to him.) Until he showed up, supply raids had been very treacherous escapades. Now, the group practically depended on him for stealing knives and ammo. Everybody in the group seemed to trust him more, even Becca.

Not much more had been said about their individual banishments. That was a relief. It was unlikely they would ever learn about how he had truly come to be here. How could they? There was no evidence to find. But just in case, he memorized his fake story, adding fine details to make it sound more legit. It couldn't hurt to be too careful; last thing he wanted was to be cast off alone again. It was nice having other monsters to talk to, even if they got on his nerves.

Becca's statement about everyone owning a gun in Texas reminded Randall of something he had been meaning to ask her. "Hey, did you guys run into some sort of trouble before?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last time you 'let your guard down.' You mentioned that you had to shoot someone. Remember, a few weeks, ago?"

"Oh, right…My stupid ranting back in the swamps…" Becca looked grave at the thought. She sighed heavily.

"Well?" he pressed.

"Mmm…fine. I'll tell you. But listen up, 'cause I don't enjoy talking about this." She maintained her guard position as she spoke. "It wasn't long after we found Naomi. The four of us were living in the hills of California at the time. Big mistake! Do you know _populated_ that state is? It was easy at first. For food, all we really had to do was creep into people's gardens. We began to relax and not keep a lookout like we used to. 'Letting our guard down,' so to speak."

"So you were discovered?"

"Yeah. By a full-grown human. Bernard caught him and we swore him to secrecy. At first, he seemed OK; said he wanted to make friends. I knew it wouldn't last, though. It wasn't long until the guy started blathering on about contacting the FBI, whatever that is. By the way he vented on, I got the impression he meant a dissection lab."

Randall cringed.

"Anyway, the guy was bound to betray us. There was no way we could let him go. The Monster World could be in jeopardy if people know about us…So I shot him."

Randall's squinting eyes popped open with mild shock. He expected as much; Becca was a bit trigger-happy. "You killed him?"

She nodded. "It was either him, or every monster in existence. That's why we must not let our guard down again." She hopped off the log. "Enough of this. I don't want to talk about it."

So that was why Becca had been so paranoid in the beginning. Randall made a guess that if any sort of threat came to the group, she would dispose of it without a second thought. "That sort of thing may happen again, you know, if we stay here." Randall brought up casually.

Becca looked at him questioningly. "Explain."

"Look around," He gestured down at the big open beach with its sandy turf and lack of trees. "It's summer. It won't be long until people litter this place. There have been too many close calls already." _Bingo._ That logical fact seemed to get to her, for she glanced sideways with a mildly thoughtful look. "Think about it. Texas is a pretty crowded state, too."

"True, I suppose. Naomi won't want to hear that. She's taken to this beach pretty well."

"How long do you guys usually stay in one spot before moving again?" He had learned this was the group's routine to survival: to never live in one place for too long. It was safer that way.

"Depends. It can be anywhere from one to three months."

Becca remained on patrol, so Randall was free to head down to the beach. She didn't seem to be in a chatty mood, and Bernard was the one to talk to when it came to this sort of thing. The leader of the group usually had the final say when it came to decisions that would affect them all, so Randall went down to the sand to talk to him about his concerns.

He passed Naomi in the campsite. Her red Scream Industries dress was very sandy, but she didn't seem to mind. Her lavender skin had become quite suntanned in the last few weeks. "Ah…sun! We should stay here forever…" she mumbled to herself.

Finding a small shore crab, Randall tossed it by Naomi's clawed foot for a laugh. She shrieked in horror as he dashed away with a chuckle.

Bernard and Suzie were out on the water, diving beneath the waves to let the currants push them around. Suzie had even found a flat piece of driftwood and was using it as a surfboard, trying to teach the older monster how to balance on the waves. Bernard's heavy frame was proving to be a problem, though.

Randall remembered Bernard mentioning a son back in Monstropolis. It was a sensitive topic the man avoided, but it was plain to see he had once been a parent. The way he played with Suzie in the waves was very fatherly, like watching a father play with his kid, laughing without a care in the world.

Randall called out for them to come to shore. Becca had already been convinced that leaving this beach was a smart option. _Time for the rest of the gang. Why can't they see this place isn't the best spot to live?_

"What's going on?" Suzie wringed water out of her feelers as she approached.

"Hey Bernard, was it your idea to travel to the coast in the first place?" Randall addressed him.

"Yes. And what of it?" Bernard was confused. "We're all having fun; it's been the best idea in years."

"Uh huh, sure. Becca and I were just talking, and think you should reconsider…" he retold the earlier conversation. As he explained all the growing worries and potential dangers with summer in full swing, the gang's attention became more grabbed.

Naomi hadn't moved from her sunny spot, but heard everything. "Wait, what?!" she bolted upright. "We're leaving?! No, no, no! This beach is the best thing that's happened to me since I was banished!"

"Naomi—" Bernard rubbed his temple.

"There's sun, sand and heat; it's like being on vacation. And we're all getting so nice and tanned. Why are we leaving _already_?" She ran over for an explanation.

Before anyone could speak, the whistle blew. They all gazed up at Becca's distant green form, waving from atop the slope. She was giving the warning signal.

"Humans coming. Time to hide! Go!" Bernard ran with Suzie and Naomi across the sand, back to the high grass.

Randall went after, running on all eights, but a lightbulb suddenly clicked _. Wait. What am_ I _running for?_ He stood up and promptly went invisible. That was easy. The others would be huffing and puffing by the time they made it to safety. _Now, if we lived someplace safer, we wouldn't have to do all this running around!_

…

A human family had come along the stretch of beach. They carried a picnic basket and lawn chairs with them, so it was obvious they'd be staying awhile. There were some toddler-aged children as well, who raced about and yelled a lot. If any of them ran up the wild slope and found the monsters' camp, which would most definitely not be good. Luckily the parents kept an eye out and made sure the whole drove stayed on the sand.

Meanwhile, the monsters went into the trees a little ways to talk. The beach-going family was still in earshot, so Randall climbed onto a low branch to keep an eye on them. He shifted into a brown, bark-like color and joined in the meeting from his perch.

"So, you want us to move elsewhere so soon, is that it?" Bernard began calmly.

"Yes!" Randall repeated. "It's not good to be out here with so much open space. Why are we going over this like it's such a big deal?"

"Because this will change the whole course of the summer…I'll admit there is some risk staying here; I've never even lived _near_ a coast in all the years I've been out here. Where exactly do you propose we go? And if it is anywhere dangerous—"

"Relax. Just hear me out." Randall looked down from the branch. This group was harder to convince then he thought. "A forest is what I was thinking of. Like a campground or a big state park, one where humans have no hunting seasons. What are the chances of being discovered in a place like that?"

Bernard crossed his arms with an authoritative stance. He said nothing, only frowned in deep thought.

"But I don't want to leave!" Naomi complained. "I say we stay."

"Hold it, hold it; before we get into a fight," said Bernard. "Let's think about this. Randall and Becca, you both brought up some good points, but this came up very suddenly. So let's take a vote. A show of hands: all in favor of leaving?"

Randall and Becca raised a hand each.

"Staying?" he himself and Naomi voted yes. "OK, Suzie. The deciding vote is yours."

"Ugh. Hate being in the middle," She leaned against a tree. No one said anything as she tried to make up her mind. "The majority rules, no matter what, right, Bernard?"

He nodded.

"Well…the beach is great. But…this _is_ Texas. Most of the population has a gun…I don't think I want to take a chance."

Naomi slouched and pouted. Her eyes glowed red in frustration and took a deep inhale to simmer down.

"It was nice while it lasted, Naomi, try to look on the bright side. It's good to keep on the move, anyway," said Bernard, knowing the risks of staying in one place for too long. "Next decision: if we're leaving, where do we go? What does everyone think of the Hill Country? It isn't that far from here; only a few days' hike, I should think."

"Ah, but that's still in Texas," Becca pointed out, pulling out a weathered map of North America. "Let's just leave the state altogether. That's easier then all this uncertainty. Look. If we keep following the coast, we'll head into Mexico."

"Or we could go north. Lots of those states are thick with forests." Bernard remembered. "I passed through Wyoming about eight years ago. There's enough wilderness that someone finding us will be very unlikely…the park I'm thinking of isn't close, though."

"I'll say. It'll take forever to get to a whole new state!" Naomi protested, looking at the map. "Where is Wyoming on this thing, anyway?"

"Yeah, let's try for someplace closer," agreed Suzie.

The whole party groaned. More travelling, all for the sake of staying hidden and alive. Randall observed for a while. All he wanted was for the group to follow his idea. A forest was a wiser place to live then a beach, summer sun or not. He decided to suggest another plan. "Sure, we can get to Wyoming," he swung upside-down by his tail, quite unperturbed by all this. "We can cut through the prairies to save time."

"That is not a good idea, Randall." Bernard advised. "Big, flat, open plains? On land like that, we'd be seen in an instant."

Becca and Suzie nodded as they studied the map. Naomi was pacing back and forth. "And you expect us to _walk_ all that way? I'd rather jump off a couple more bridges!"

Randall smirked mischievously. "Don't have to walk. We'll _drive_."

They all stared as if he had lost his mind.


	8. Car Thieves

Chapter Seven: Car Thieves

"Steal a car? Are you insane?" said Becca. "Maybe you really did go stir-crazy back in the bayous."

"The police will catch us for sure." Bernard promptly dismissed the idea.

"Not if we play it smart," said Randall. This spur of the moment scheme _would_ go his way; he was confident it would. He had been getting to know the group, and was learning the best way to manipulate them. The trick was to use basic logic. This troop's main priority was to find safe places to live. Just by building on that one, single thing, Randall was sure he could talk the gang into anything.

Carefully chosen words were ready in his head. He kept hanging upside-down by his tail to relay them. "If a car disappears in the dead of night, without witnesses, odds are it won't be reported missing until morning. That gives us plenty of time to drive for a while. By morning, we ditch the car, hide out for the day, and steal a different one the next night. Simple."

"Oh boy…I've done some dicey things in the last decade, but that is just stupid." Bernard shook his head.

"So you _want_ to walk all the way through the prairies? With a car, we'll save a ton of time."

"Not to mention energy!" Naomi folded her arms. "If we have to travel a long way, I'm _not_ marching across multiple states."

On the grass, Becca and Suzie were bent over the map, studying the northern United States sections. Both sisters looked a bit perplexed about something. Suzie turned to Bernard. "Where exactly are you thinking we should go, Bernard? Why Wyoming?"

"Well," Bernard scratched his feathers in memory. "Randall, when you mentioned a forest or a campground, I thought of one of the big national parks. There's a rather large one that spreads over much of Wyoming."

"How big is it?" asked Randall.

"Big. Over two million acres. I only passed through it once before. There are forests, rivers, hot springs, plenty of animals; no one will ever find us in there, it you're too worried about staying on this beach."

 _Uh oh._ Did he suspect something? Randall's wish to leave the beach was purely self-centered. He liked it here, sure, but was tired of constantly keeping a lookout for humans. They should've headed out into a forest ages ago! But Bernard wasn't acting suspicious of his motives, so Randall relaxed.

"There would be a lot more shelter in a forest…" Becca bit her lip on the idea. "OK. I'm in, I guess. But stealing a car? There's no way I'll have a part in that. Too crazy."

Suzie, on the other hand, was enthusiastic. Such a dangerous scheme would give them some much needed excitement. "When are we doing it?"

"Hold it, girls, no one is becoming a car thief!" Bernard scolded. "Randall, this is your idea, so you're going to do the actual stealing."

"No problem."

"I trust you know how to hotwire a car?"

"Yes, actually. I know my way around machines. Don't you think if I can figure out how to hook up scream canisters to my house, I know how to hotwire a car?"

"Don't backtalk to me, Boggs! There's already enough to deal with at the moment."

"Cut it out," Becca snapped. "I'm the one with a short fuse around here. Let's just get this thing over with. When are we going out car shopping?"

"No time like the present," Randall swung down off the branch. "The town isn't far from here. We'll have a car by tonight."

…

The monsters packed up the entirety of the campsite and traversed along the coastline until nightfall. Naomi complained about her aching feet all the way. The others had gotten very skilled at ignoring her whining by now.

They picked a rural road as a meeting spot. There were plenty of leafy bushes to hide amongst, and not too many houses. The plan was for Randall to sneak deeper into town in search of a suitable vehicle. Suzie would be coming along, to serve as a lookout in case trouble arose. Randall planned on being invisible much of the time, and was confident he could act just fine on his own, but Bernard was insistent on someone going with him.

"Anything can happen, you know. Better to be safe than sorry." He had said. "For a plot like this, I think it's best to have a smaller party. Less chance of drawing attention. Be quick out there!"

Just after midnight, Randall set out with only a hand-fashioned screwdriver made from a piece of bone, and an ordinary kitchen knife. He slinked from garden fences to the undersides of porches, to any trees big enough to hide behind. He was deep into the residential area now. All over the place were cars parked in their driveways, ripe for the picking. He darted underneath a lawn chair to survey the surroundings.

"Not so fast!" Suzie hissed from somewhere behind. She scrambled across the lawn to catch up. "Oh, I can't stand this. We're totally going to get caught. It's inevitable! Why am I coming along, again?"

"You volunteered." Randall reminded. "Gave that sister of yours quite the argument, if I recall. I get the feeling she's never let you go on supply raids, right?"

"Right…this is a chance to prove I can do something useful…but I didn't think it would be so stressful! How do you guys stay so calm while doing this?" Upon nearing the house, she said, "Hey, can we steal something cool? Look, that car is gorgeous! We'd be travelling in style." Suzie ducked under a second lawn chair and pointed at a nearby driveway. On it stood a sleek, red, ultra-modern car.

"Too conspicuous. Some cars are harder to hotwire then others. We need to find an older model, not to mention something big enough for Bernard to fit into along with the rest of us."

Suzie saw the logic. She let Randall lead the way into the next property. "Stop! There's a dog!"

Randall too, saw a large black dog sleeping on the house's porch. Of course, he had forgotten about running into peoples' noisy pets. He motioned for Suzie—who was shaking like a leaf with nerves—to follow him across the street. "Will you calm down? This is the last time I'm going with you into town. With your panicking, it's a wonder your gang hadn't been caught in the past!"

"Look, I can keep a lookout while you work on the car. That's the only reason I'm here. Besides, Becca said I should 'practice not being a chicken' or something like that. She said she'd let me start going on raids with her if I did OK."

Randall saw a potential target after a good thorough search of the street: A large grey van, very beat-up, and in need of a good wash. It wasn't a pretty sight, but that made it perfect. Older models like this were less likely to have loud car alarms, and were easier to break into.

"Who'd want to steal this piece of junk?" Suzie put her hands on her hips.

Randall stayed low on all eights to approach the van. "Just keep watch, kid. There could be more dogs hanging around. And warn me if any lights come on in the house."

"Sure," Suzie retreated into the low bushes lining the driveway. From there, she could spy on the windows. There appeared to be a doggy door on the front door, so she had a feeling some sort of canine would be alerted. "I officially hate dogs. They cause nothing but trouble."

Randall wasn't surprised to find the door locked. As a precaution, he melted away into an invisible state. The knife would suffice as a lockpick. If not, he could always break the lock by force. The mood was tense when he got the door open. Any nanosecond a car alarm may go off—but none did. He let out the breath he had been holding.

The fabric seats inside were definitely aged. All were worn out with loose threads. The inside of the vehicle needed a cleaning as badly as the outside, for crumbs and broken potato chips lay everywhere. Oh well. This contraption would only be their ride for the rest of the night.

He climbed in and got to work unscrewing the steering column.

Meanwhile, Suzie was pulling at her feelers, a habit when she was extremely jittery. The cricket songs did nothing to soothe her. "OK, don't panic and just relax. No one's seen us yet," she muttered to herself. "Just focus and keep watch…Oh!"

Something soft and furry rubbed against her back. But it was only a cat, purring happily.

Randall finally removed the column. The rainbow tangle of wires did not faze him in the slightest. This was something he knew how to do. During the scream extractor's construction, he had had to start it up via hotwiring when the power cord failed to work on one test. Compared to that, this car would be a cinch.

The owner's manual was sticking out of the glove compartment, and he skimmed through it to double-check a few things. It took a minute to find the proper wires. Every color looked the same in this moonlight, not to mention blurred because of his lack of glasses. He stripped the very ends of the needed wires using the knife. He was very cautious during this part. Getting electric shocks was never fun. The engine would have to be revved a few times to ensure it would keep on running. Hopefully Suzie was keeping an eye out for lights in the upper windows…

"Shoo! Now is not a good time, puss!"

The cat kept purred and rubbed against her scales. It meowed affectionately every time she pushed it away. "Well, at least you're not the barking sort." Suzie petted it. This was the first friendly animal she had met in the Human World. It couldn't hurt to pet it for just a minute. The plan was going smoothly so far.

A revving car engine distracted her and she gasped in alarm. The cat ran off into the darkness.

 _There we go!_ Randall pressed the gas petal once more to make sure the job wouldn't have to be repeated. He remained invisible while shoving the steering column back in place. All seemed pretty quiet up in the house. All he had heard thus far was a cat meowing. He actually spotted the beast running through the house's doggy door. A slight panic gripped his chest. That cat might wake up whoever lived inside.

"Suzie!" he hissed, reaching over to open the passenger door. "Time to go!"

The girl hopped in, slamming the door loudly. The second she was in, Randall acted fast, but as quietly as he could. He reversed into the street and left the house behind. "Check for anyone following."

She did so. "Nope. No lights, nothing." She slouched down in the seat and sighed out in relief. "Sorry. The cat wouldn't leave me alone."

"That cat could have been our downfall. I should have done this alone…" Some cats were like watchdogs, alerting their owners to anything suspicious. Some lookout Suzie turned out to be, getting distracted by pets. Next time, some other monster had to come along.

It felt strange to be behind the wheel of a car again. This old van needed a little extra pressure on the gas pedal to get moving, but it did wat he wanted it to do. He checked on the house through the rear-view mirror. No lights had come on. The sight put his mind at ease as he turned the corner. Hopefully that cat would keep quiet!

…

"Ugh. I hate the waiting game," Naomi paced around, too close to the side of the road. "Let me tell you, I'm getting pretty sick of all this sneaking! Makes me feel like a criminal."

"Princess, that's kinda why we're out in the Human World at all." Becca rolled her eyes up at the moon. She and Suzie had come up with the mocking nickname of 'Princess' because of Naomi's pampered lifestyle. It didn't seem she would ever get used to the idea of living here.

They waited with Bernard near the road leading out of town. It was an ideal spot. Fewer streetlights lined this particular road; only the moon illuminated its details. A few neighborhood houses stood close by. The lights in them were all out, which was a good sign. The entire town was still asleep. But the waiting monsters couldn't help but be anxious. Nearly an hour had gone by since Randall and Suzie had left. Even level-headed Bernard was wringing his hands; his feather crest rose up and down with apprehension. All were listening for the hum of a car engine, the scraping of tires against pavement, but so far, only insects and owls could be heard. Normally, they would be a comfort on a night such as this, but not now…

Blaring headlights blinded them suddenly as a big, grey van pulled up. An old, beat-up thing with a faded paint job. In a panic, the monsters hid. They couldn't see who was at the wheel…Becca peeked out from the bushes for a closer look and saw two familiar silhouettes behind the windshield.

"You did it!" she gave a rare grin and hurried up to Suzie's window.

"I just sorta got in the way the whole time. But still, not bad for a first heist, huh?" said Suzie.

Naomi rushed up. "I want the front seat!"

"No way, I was here first. You ride in the back."

"Just get in, already." Randall rapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "There are only a couple hours 'till dawn."

Everyone loaded their backpacks, weapons, and bundles of knick-knacks into the trunk. The sound of it getting slammed shut was overly loud and seemed to echo down the street with menace.

Bernard slid open the side door and squeezed in as best he could. There was enough room on the van's last row of seats for him to sit comfortable. He pulled out a map of roads and highways. "With luck, we should reach the other side of Texas by dawn. Let's drive! I have to admit, even I'm excited about this!" he exclaimed to Becca and Naomi, who climbed into the middle row. "To think, I haven't been in a car for twelve years."

With everyone so ecstatic, Randall couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. He pulled back into the road with a smug expression. This had all been _his_ doing, and it had gone off without a hitch. Everything was going his way. Thanks to him, they would soon be in a nice, safe new place to live, one far better than a big open beach and less dangerous then a gator-filled swamp. Bernard was still the leader, though. Randall had no great desire to take over the group. That wasn't his style. He could easily manipulate everybody just by using his old, devious ways.

From the back seat, Bernard held the map to navigate, calling directions to Randall.

"Will you cut it out?" Randall snapped after this had gone on for a long time. "It's can't be that hard to find a highway. I'm just following the road signs."

"Right. Just turn left here and it's straight ahead. By the way, how much gas is in this hunk of junk?"

"Enough to get us far away from where we stole it." The gage read nearly full; he estimated they could cross a few counties at least.

Becca had fallen asleep in her seat. The plan for the night was for everyone to take turns at the wheel, with the exception of Suzie, who didn't know how to drive. She was quite happy in the front passenger seat, however, and was digging through the van's compartments in search of something to do. Behind her, Naomi was doing the same.

Bernard went on talking. "…so we should get through Colorado before the end of the week, and reach the park soon after. It could be busy in the summer, but the danger would be minimal."

"What's this two-million-acre park called, anyway?" asked Randall, wondering what the man was talking about, exactly.

"Yellowstone."

"Oh, I've heard of that place," said Naomi with a slight groan. "Nothing but wilderness. It's like extreme camping all over again!"

"There are nice, sunny lakes there."

"Oh. Well, that's not so bad." Naomi perked up a bit.

Randall listened to the others' conversations as he drove. His job for now was to make it to the highway before someone else took over. Sooner or later, he had to get some sleep. This trip would surely take a toll on the groups' sleeping schedules more so then keeping lookouts over a campsite. Dangers on the road included other drivers and possible police cars searching for stolen vehicles. Randall was positive that it was safe to travel for now. The real trouble wouldn't come until morning, when it was time to ditch.

Becca looked so peaceful that none wanted to disturb her. (It was a rare time when she was not scolding or bossing anyone around.) When it came time for the next monster to drive, Randall and Bernard swapped places. It was astounding how the huge red monster was able to squeeze behind the wheel.

"Haven't listened to one of these in a while…" he switched on the radio and began fiddling with the dials. Keeping the volume low, he found a jazzy, nostalgic station and began humming along to the music. The others all cringed; he was extremely off-key.

Suzie tried to brighten the mood. "Hey, look! Reading material!" she had been snooping under her chair. "'Bout time, too. I've read those dumpster-doomed books a few times through." Her face then fell slightly and she groaned in disgust.

"What?" asked Randall, who was getting comfortable in the back.

"This is a sappy teen romance novel. Disgusting! What ever happened to classy literature? I'd rather read a dictionary." She tossed the book aside. "Anything under your seats?"

Both he and Naomi checked. Clearly this van belonged to a family, for they uncovered not only a book each, but also small toys and stuffed animals, and a cube puzzle.

"Not much better, Suzie. These are kids' books." Naomi passed them up.

Suzie didn't seem to mind. She took them anyway. "Better then sappy writing…this one is a joke book, at least. I need something to stay entertained." She cracked it open. After a while, she commented, "Wow, these are corny."

By this time, Naomi was beginning to drift off. "Hmm?"

"Listen to this: 'I stayed up all night wondering where the sun went…then it dawned on me.'" She waited for some sort of reaction. She tried again. "Or how about: 'What's red and smells like blue paint?...red paint.'"

Naomi raised two of her three eyebrows. "Those are dumb."

"I know, right?" she went on reading with a cheerful grin.

In the back, Randall had decided to have a go at the cube puzzle. But with the hum of the engine, the soothing scene of the landscape going by, the jazz radio, and his own exhaustion, he was having trouble concentrating. They had driven for quite a ways already. The scenery outside had more fields then houses. It all flashed by in a blur too quickly for him to see clearly. Some of the properties looked like farms…was this the right highway?

He was too tired to care right now. At least they were heading towards a place where he wanted to go. There was a great chance of staying alive within a massive national park. A far greater chance then a Texas beach.

"This one's good:" said Suzie, shaking Naomi awake again. "'A magician was driving down the street…then he turned into a driveway.'"

It took several moments for Naomi to clue in.

"Ugh, Bernard, could you please shut off the music?" Becca woke up to the sound of the radio. It had suddenly blared a few decibels higher.

"I'm driving, so I get to play it if I want to. I'll turn the volume down."

"Screw that! Letting me _sleep_ is more important than listen to—"

"Watch your mouth, Rebecca! If we had money, I'd make you start a swear jar."

"Quiet! I need my beauty sleep, too," mumbled Naomi. "Enough with the jokes, Suzie. You can read that thing in the morning."

"C'mon, just a couple more…"

Randall sighed under the arguing. A whole road trip ahead of them had better not be full of this. He stretched out on the back row of seats and closed his eyes. A few blissful hours of unconsciousness would be welcome right about now.

 **This part was fun to write. A bunch of misfits in a car trying to stay sane was just too perfect. Suzie's joke book is going to drive the others crazy in future chapters! I did a ton of research on all the places these monsters visit, to make things as accurate as possible geography-wise. Coming up next: Things begin to get more serious as the group's survival goes on. There are a lot of hardships coming their way.**


	9. Yellowstone

Chapter Eight: Yellowstone

By the end of that week, the monsters were well into Wyoming.

The journey had taken far longer than expected, what with the auto thefts and letting Suzie try to navigate one night. The girl's atrocious sense of direction threw them onto the wrong highway, nearly taking them all the way to Kansas. Becca had scolded and forbad any more navigating after that.

"Thanks. I feel so useful now." Suzie said sarcastically.

"We'll get to that park in no time. You can lend a hand then, OK" Becca reassured with a gentler, but still stern tone. "Just relax and enjoy the ride."

Nobody had enjoyed the cars as much as Naomi. Whenever it was her turn to drive, she immediately cranked up some modern music with a beat and drummed along on the steering wheel. No one had ever seen her so happy before. She had decent taste in music; the pop songs got everyone in the car in a good mood. Even Randall didn't mind.

The final car was the sixth one they had stolen. Hopefully it would be the last. _The police might notice a chain of thefts if we take another one._ Randall thought to himself. Not every hotwire job had gone as smoothly as he preferred. A few alarms had been set off, sometimes dogs spotted whoever was on lookout, and on one instant a man had heard the sound of the engine start. That had been a close call. Randall had left that car running, exposed wires and all, and retreated into the bushes. The man had come outside brandishing a rifle.

Remembering that attempted theft, Randall slouched in his seat. When they got to this national park, there would be no more dealing with things like that—for a while, at least. He was utterly sick of doing all the risky work around here.

This final car was a big, seven-seater van and smelled of air freshener. Everyone was in good spirits: Becca was driving while listening to the radio broadcast and Naomi was in the front passenger seat, preening at the sun visor's mirror vainly. Suzie had kept ahold of the joke book from the first car, and was driving the whole gang insane with it. Randall ignored her and fiddled with the stolen cube puzzle. He was only doing so to keep his mind occupied. He had solved it dozens of times during the road trip already. After a while, he entertained himself by shifting into the puzzle's colorful checkered patterns, but Suzie also seemed to find this hilarious _. I've had just about enough of you._ He thought in aggravation. Did she have to laugh at everything in sight? It was so irritating. Dealing with Naomi's constant complaining was bad enough!

The night was a very dark one. Most of the gang wanted to sleep, but that was out of the question. The journey was almost over and they all needed to be as alert as possible.

Becca drove on steadily. "That's gotta be the fifth road sign for this place. The park is coming up fast, Bernard. What should we expect?"

"There'll be a gate at the entrance," he answered. "And no, we cannot drive through it. It's like a checkpoint, with people there at all times. Best to ditch the van and go on foot from here."

"Now?" Naomi piped up. The sun visor's mirror was the only reflection of herself she had seen in months.

"It's only another mile from here."

"Shame," Becca said as she pulled over. "The cars were nice while they lasted. We should steal them more often."

 _Ahem?_ I'm _the one who does that!_ Randall felt like saying. He dragged his backpack, weapons, and gear, and slid open the van's side door without a word. Firing up Becca's temper was too tiresome.

They headed out into the night. The van's lights were switched off, and Randall's hand-carved lockpick was turned in the lock to kill the engine. Becca had driven off the road a little ways. With all the greenery, it would be days until someone spotted the van. This part of Wyoming was a very wooded place. Owl cries and screeches rang out periodically. Dim moonlight cut through the tall conifers, casting a silvery tone over everything, but the monsters had no time to stop and admire the scenery. Their mission was too important.

"Um, you don't think there are any bears around here, do you?" Naomi bit her lip, walking at the back of the line.

"Probably. I remember seeing a few 'don't feed the bears' signs last time I passed through the park." Bernard called from up ahead.

"Oh, lovely. We'll be mauled to death. I still don't see why we couldn't have stayed on the beach."

Becca groaned. "Princess, are we really going over this again?"

"Girls!" Bernard cut in before they could argue. "Save it until we're in the grounds."

Sneaking past the entrance was easy. All they really needed to do was give it a wide berth and dart from tree to tree. Before that, however, Randall thought it a good idea to swipe a map from the tiny checkpoint building. It was bound to carry some. The ranger inside was half asleep when the invisible lizard sneaked in. All around the tiny room were maps and brochures, filled with the park's policies, tour guides, landmarks, and details of the local wildlife.

 _Perfect. This is all the info we need._ Randall soundlessly stole one of everything. These would surely prove useful.

The man was not an observant sort—he remained on his chair, eyes partially close while reading a magazine, ignoring the distant owl shrieks. The random floating brochures and maps did not even catch his eye. Randall gently pushed the papers out the window, and he carefully slid out onto the grass as well.

Really, getting around these humans was just too easy! Randall crawled on all eights away from the gate. The rest of the gang was waiting just beyond the tree line. After a quick read of the map by flashlight, Bernard decided where they were to go next. The monsters would be keeping to the foliage if they could; their walk would be long, but manageable. It would be hours before any of them got some much needed sleep. All this travelling was really taking a toll on everybody.

They disappeared into Yellowstone's depths without a trace.

…

After hiking for a while, the monsters realized there was more wilderness then they could have hoped for. The stolen information guides told them a lot about the park. Suzie read every page by moonlight as she walked. One of the papers was a full map and the group paused their hike to decide exactly where to go. (There was much arguing between Becca and Naomi about this.) In the end, everyone agreed to head towards a lake. The forest would keep them sheltered, and they would be near a water source, so it was a wise choice. This particular map was a bit faded with age; some of the landmarks were no longer legible. If the monsters needed to do a supply raid, some sort of civilization had to be around, such as a ranger station.

"Guess we'll just have to wing it." Randall concluded when Bernard pointed out the problem.

The forest was on the spooky side by moonlight. Suzie was very nervous and stayed close to her sister the entire time. Small animals like raccoons and mice darted near the party every minute, which made her even jumpier. To distract her mind, she over all the brochures again and again, trying to memorize as much information as possible. At random times, she consulted her trusty joke book, much to the others' annoyance. But it was taking her mind off things. "OK, this one is really good: 'What do you call a psychic little person who has escaped from prison?'"

"Huh?" Becca was more bewildered by the joke itself then the punchline.

"'A small medium at large!'" Suzie smiled, but she had yet to make anyone laugh.

Bernard was being quiet. The woods seemed to have had an effect on him, for he kept gazing around with a thoughtful, sullen look. At times he even seemed depressed. Randall was the only one who noticed this, but said nothing. He could care less about whether these other monsters were sad or happy.

Becca was acting as navigator, map in hand. "OK, it looks like we can make it to the lake inside of three hours."

"Three hours?!" Naomi cried. "It's the middle of the night! Can't we sleep first?"

"Look, we're all tired. If anyone falls asleep, it'll be hard waking them up. Let's just find a safe spot to camp, and then we can rest."

Naomi groaned. But she kept on walking.

Randall wanted to sleep, too; it would have been easy: just climb a tree, find a branch, and stay there until dawn. No problem…of course, not so easy for the rest of the group. None of them were very good climbers. What a pain this was, abiding to the needs of many! He adjusted the strap on his backpack and moved on.

Elk and deer seemed to be in abundance in this park. The group spotted several herds during the night, outlined in silver by the moon. Not as great a variety of birds could be seen, probably because this was a slightly higher altitude. The howls of coyotes and wolves echoed over any fields the monsters crossed. Big, open spaces these were; almost too risky to cross without being seen. But so far, no buildings or any sign of human activity had been found.

As they marched on, all wondered about what dangers this park held. Some of the local creatures they knew very little about. Mountain lions, bears, and moose were new species to be encountered, and none of them were the safest animals to be near. They could be hiding anywhere in these forests.

The lake the monsters eventually reached was not the large one on the map—the large one had too many human buildings around it, as well as a marina. This smaller one was a far safer place to live by: secluded and miles away from the busy places. They picked a sheltered spot a ways from the shore: a tiny clearing amongst the trees, surrounded by bushes. Much of this section of forest was conifer, a good many pinecones were strewn about, which Naomi tossed over her shoulder as she helped to pitch the tents.

"This dirty ground could be a bit _less_ covered in dirt…boy, did that sound dumb."

"Yes, it sure did. We're all tired and aren't thinking straight." said Becca. Her own tent was beginning to get some holes worn through it. The group did have plans to start searching for new sheets or something similar, but the task had been put off so far.

Randall still preferred to sleep in tree branches. He had gotten used to it after his time in the swamp; it was better than lying on a forest floor, where predators were more likely to eat you in your sleep. Despite his lack of a tent, he helped pitch the others in order to be useful. Everyone was far too bushed from the three-hour hike to do much. Suzie collapsed into her tent with her tail sticking out. She was asleep in five minutes flat.

"I'll take the first watch," offered Bernard. He had already gathered some dry plants for a small campfire. It was an unusually chilly night and a fire may help ward off unwanted animals. There was no need to worry about humans spotting it; a small one wouldn't attract that kind of attention. "Naomi, if you please? Just a small fire will do."

"Hmm? Oh, sure." She breathed a narrow jet of flame onto the plants.

Randall had no reason to raid for matches and lighters anymore, with her fire-breathing ability. He remembered all of the Python Nu Kappa members could breathe fire. Right after the scare maze event in university, some of them had blasted at the maze walls in frustration because they had lost the challenge. Such ability was very handy out here.

He was lounging on a branch ten feet off the ground, with his tail wrapped around it for balance. The branch was bent in such a way that it would be a comfortable place to sleep. Below, Bernard, Becca, and Naomi settled down to talk before turning in. Like Suzie, he was ready for a couple hours of sleep before sunrise. But for the moment, he listened out of curiosity.

"Doing OK, Bernard?" Becca said upon seeing the older monster's gloom. "You've been acting funny ever since we got here. What's up?"

"Sorry," he said, quickly wiping the sad look off his face. "This place reminds me of a few parks back in the outskirts of Monstropolis…Have you ever been to the Mandragora Campgrounds?"

"Yeah. I took Suzie there when she was eleven." Becca then admired their currant surroundings. "I suppose this forest is a likeness…except for the weird animals. Why?"

"I used to take my son to places like this every summer…this park is just bringing back old memories."

Naomi looked a little sad at this conversation. Randall, however, was a bit curious of the man's past. This mysterious son had never been mentioned by name thus far. From his perch, he called down. "Who's your son, anyway?"

"Nicholas Brennan," Bernard stared at the fire, not looking at any of them. "He'd be in his thirties by now…Haven't seen the boy in twelve years."

"Do you think he kept your fishing business going after your banishment?"

"Probably. The authorities blamed me for the outbreak, not the company itself. Our business might still exist. If I know him, he'll keep it up." The older monster sighed. "There's no point brooding about it. I'd rather just try to forget, so no more, please."

Becca respected his wish and said nothing else. She knew she was lucky. With Suzie being the only family she had, at least they were together out here in the middle of nowhere. The younger McKeen sister could be heard snoring away, her blue eel-like tail sticking out through the tent flap.

Naomi turned to look up at Randall. "I've got my mother and grandparents back home. And my boyfriend, I suppose, but he'll have forgotten about me by now, no doubt. I think you know him, actually. Johnny Worthington?"

Randall scowled. That was a name he didn't much care for. Worthington eventually became as great a rival as that big, blue buffoon! The senior year of university had been the toughest year ever competition-wise.

Naomi didn't notice the scowl and went on. "Knowing him, he may have hooked up with Carrie, or Crystal, or some other sorority sister. He was always making passes at us, even after graduation."

Randall was bored already. He could care less about Naomi Jackson's social life. He was ready to turn in and laid his head down on the bark.

"You're avoiding the inevitable question, Randall," Becca said unexpectedly, noticing his behavior. "But I'll ask it anyway, 'cause you'll have to answer eventually: Got any family back in Monstropolis?"

The atmosphere was quiet, save for an owl's hoot, the fire's flicker, and Suzie's snores.

He hesitated…should he answer? It was obvious everyone _wanted_ him to. But he didn't see why he should. Bernard actually had a point. There was no going back to the Monster World; not a chance for any of them…why not just forget about it? Actually, he doubted his family even knew what had become of him. They had never exactly been close, not for a very long time, anyway.

Without a trace of emotion, he responded. "None that I care to talk about. Goodnight."

"Suit yourself," sighed Bernard. Becca and Naomi were a bit disappointed, but did not push the subject. "Better get some sleep, girls. We should scout the area tomorrow, and some of us must go out for some hunting. We'll decide who's doing what in the morning."

They each agreed to the plan. Normally, either one or the other would argue, but now was not a good time. Sleep sounded wonderful right now. They said their goodnights and crawled into their tents out of sight.

Randall curled up on his branch. Hopefully that was the end of such personal questions. The more he thought about it, the more he agreed with Bernard's way of thinking. When it came to the Monster World, it was better to forget. There was no point in remembering…He'd rather focus on the here and now.

…

Next morning, far from the campsite, Randall maneuvered through the trees, careful not to step on any twigs or brush against any foliage. Many creatures in this wilderness were sure to be the easily-frightened sort. They were acutely aware of danger in their surroundings. Randall had the feeling that even if he were invisible, taking down a meal could be tricky.

Behind him, a female squeal sounded out as she got caught in a thorny bush.

He stopped and exhaled with a roll of his eyes. "How did I end up with _you_ as a hunting partner?"

Naomi shook free of the bush. "Because scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock. Trust me, I'd much rather be at the lake!"

"Just hurry up."

They went on their way through the forest. Up ahead, a large grassy meadow spread out. It was sure to be polluted with something to eat. Even from here, there appeared to be what looked like a small herd of elk, congregating out in the field. Randall saw this as a good opportunity. He waved Naomi to come closer. "Look. If we can take down one of those things, it will feed all five of us for days."

"Oh, good. That means less traipsing through the woods. So, did you bring the pistols?"

"Did you forget everything about the park's laws already? Hunting is prohibited!"

"Then what are we _doing_ , genius?"

"If anyone hears shots, the rangers will track us down. But we need to _eat_ , don't we? So we're gonna have to hunt _discreetly_." Randall crouched low as he approached the tree line. Mere feet away, the meadow opened up invitingly, packed with potential meals. "Forget the guns. Things will have to be done the old-fashioned way."

Naomi was apprehensive. She didn't want to do this! It was so barbaric. The elk look so peaceful, grazing to their hearts' content. Hunting one down seemed so…cold-hearted. She'd much rather be down at the lake, fishing with Suzie and working on her suntan. She crouched, too, to voice her thoughts in his ear. "Are you joking? I can't take down an elk. I'll wait here."

"Oh, please. You have claws, fangs, and can breathe fire, so quit being so useless." Randall lost his patience. With her pampered ways, it was no wonder the McKeen sisters had nicknamed her 'Princess.' "I'm taking down one of these things sneak-attack style. Here, take my backpack. Help yourself to the bow and arrows when you feel like lending a hand."

"Humph." But Naomi found herself frowning at thin air.

"Keep quiet and don't screw everything up." Randall's voice said as he blended away. They couldn't afford to go hungry. None of them had had a good meal since leaving Texas. All the car-stealing, driving, and catching up on sleep during the day didn't leave much room for finding food. A hearty meal would be welcome.

When he was alone in Louisiana, Randall's hunts were more strategic then powerful. Going for the prey's throat was always the best move. Catching something was the hard part, and he killed quickly, knowing the vulnerable spot of lots of prey. Taking down large beasts like alligators were what had built up his physical strength. Elk were new victims, though.

 _They seem pretty docile…_ he thought as he crept unseen into the open. _This'll be easy…I hope_.

This would have to be done tactfully. No park rangers could be hanging around this thick area of Yellowstone, could they? And surely no guided tours could be taking place this early in the morning. Randall shook the little worries away and concentrated.

Elk must have some sort of acute sense of danger, which was quite vexing. The closer he edged toward the herd, the more members raised their antlered heads to look around. How could they possibly hear him? He wasn't making a sound! He crossed his fingers, hoping Naomi wouldn't do anything to disrupt this…So far, so good.

The animals didn't run away. He slowly approached the nearest one, moving forward one limb at a time, all set to strike. The elk turned his antlers in every direction; he was positive something was amiss, but could see nothing. Randall was close enough to see its eyes blink…

He moved like lightning. The elk's cries were stifled fast. The lizard used his sharp teeth to bite into the animal's neck; a fast, fatal blow to the jugular vein that brought it down quickly.

The rest of the herd scattered in panic.

Randall reappeared and spit out the blood from his mouth. What a messy business…but this single elk was food and the antlers could be made into tools or something else useful. Hunting made Randall feel so primitive; in the Monster World, all one had to do was head out to a grocery store. Out here, he was reduced to hunting like a predator himself. As he shouldered the dead elk, an arrow suddenly speared into the grass right in front of him. He jumped back. It nearly impaled one of his feet!

"Sorry!" Naomi called, poking her head out from the bush. "I was aiming for a tree!"

Randall shook his head, exasperated. He would have to give her some lessons with the bow and arrows. Now that they had a safe place to stay for the summer, they all had to lend a hand with the chores. The lavender-haired PNK woman cringed as he approached with the elk, horrified at the fresh blood on his teeth. He was used to hauling fresh kills; being half-covered in blood did not even faze him.

Naomi went a little pale at the sight. "Ugh. That's disgusting! Look at you; you have blood all over your face! You seriously expect me to go out stalking animals like that?"

"If need be, yes." Randall stated. "It's good to know things like this. For starters, you should learn how to use those properly." He pointed at the bow in her hand. "None of us should be using the guns. C'mon. Let's take care of this elk and get back to camp."

"Eew…We have to cut it up?"

Randall rolled his eyes again. Next time, he wanted a different hunting partner.

…

Amazingly, Suzie found her way back to the campsite without getting lost. The lake was only a five minute walk from here. Actually, from just the right spot, a sliver of water was visible through the trees. She had caught a few small trout and was already chewing away on one when Randall and Naomi returned. "Look! I caught us some lunch! Or maybe a snack…they're a bit on the small side…" she held up a fish proudly. "Oh, and I did some foraging and got a good stock of greens and mushrooms."

Here, Naomi made another revolted face. "There had better be some human campsites around. Raiding their picnic baskets sounds like a far tastier to get something to eat around here."

"Well, meat, fish and mushrooms are better than nothing, Princess. You really should look on the bright side of things. 'Least we won't go hungry in this park." Suzie dug into her snack, eating the fish raw and crunching on the bones. Her half-aquatic nature made it easy to digest. "I did some more reading on those brochures. Do you know just how old Yellowstone Park is? It has such a long history…"

As they talked, Randall unloaded the fresh elk meat onto a woven grass mat. He rolled it up into a secure bundle and stored it high in a tree off the ground. The feast would wait until evening. He climbed down and began cleaning up the elk's hide; once it was stretched out, cleaned and dried, he could make it into a blanket, or even the beginnings of a new tent. A few of the elk's bones, as well as the antlers, had been stuffed into Naomi's knapsack for now. He intended to fashion them into new tools later. Since the gang had a permanent camping lifestyle, it was vital not to let anything go to waste. As he worked, he listened to Suzie's cheerful chatter and Naomi's never-ending complaints.

"I'm so glad Becca let me go to the lake by myself. Do you realize it's my first time actually doing something on my own?"

"Yippee for you, the mighty hunter," Naomi said sarcastically, poking at a dead fish.

"Hey! We all know you hate it out here; quit rubbing it in, already. Didn't you ever go on trips like this in the Monster World?"

"Nope. Mother doesn't care for camping, either. She'd be appalled if she knew where I am right now! No one else in the family likes this sort of thing, that's for sure." Naomi breathed a jet of fire in the air to relief her frustration.

"Like it or not, Princess, you'll just have to get used to it. Right, Randy?"

Randall flinched. _No one_ called him that. _Ever._ It brought back too many unwanted memories. " _Randall_ , if you don't mind."

"Sorry. Good grief, you guys are testy this morning. Time to lighten the mood," she swallowed the last bite of her fish and pulled out the joke book. "'Why does a moon rock taste better than an Earth rock?'"

"Not these jokes again," Randall groaned.

"Humor me, here. C'mon, say 'why?'"

Randall kept scraping the hide, but did what she asked. What was the harm? "…Why?"

"'Because it's a little meteor.'"

To his surprise, Naomi burst out laughing. He wasn't so amused. "That's terrible. Why are you so hooked on that book?"

"Because it's so stupid! Seriously, how could you not find these funny?" She paused upon seeing his glare. "Sorry. I was just trying to enlighten your day."

The mood was cut short, however. The sound of rustling vegetation and snapping twigs was suddenly approaching the camp. Something was coming their way, and fast. Suzie and Naomi reacted automatically. They ducked behind some trunks, armed with knives, while Randall remained where he was, invisible. If it turned out to be a threat, they could easily dispose of it…but they relaxed. It was only Becca bursting into camp.

But she was the most flustered Randall had ever seen. There were fresh spatters of mud, dirt and leaves all over her. He reappeared as she leaned against a tree to catch her breath. Her eyes were extremely wide with what looked like mild panic. It was an expression Randall had never seen her wear.

Suzie sensed something was wrong right away. She rushed up to her sister. "Becca, what happened?"

"We were spotted…by a…bunch of kids," she breathed. "Not to worry…it was only a split-second glance…I don't think anyone followed us, but Bernard and I had to split up, just in case."

"What did you guys find? Any campgrounds?" Naomi asked hopefully.

Becca took a sip of water. "Oh, even better. There's an entire complex, only a few miles from here. There's a hotel, a few visitor's centers, and a ranger station. If we ever need supplies, we know where to go."

The others cheered up with this stroke of luck. Maybe they wouldn't have to hunt or forage as often with civilization close by.

"But something else is wrong, though. I can see it in your face," said Suzie. "Where's Bernard?"

"He's not here?"

"Obviously not," Randall rolled his eyes. "Do you see him sitting around?"

Becca looked like she wanted to punch him square in the face. "That's not funny, Boggs! If he doesn't show up soon, we're going out to find him."

"Why? He's a big guy. I'm sure he can handle being lost in the wo—"

"It's _because_ he's a big guy that we may have to go find him!" Becca marched forward, confronting him in anger. "Humans are curious; they can track him down, no problem! Do you expect us to do _nothing_?!"

Randall was used to living by his own rules. In the Human World, every monster had to learn to look after themselves. Nobody else seemed to think along those lines. He crossed all of his arms defiantly. "I'm not risking getting caught by a whole team of monster-hunters. Let Bernard find his own way back." Naomi bit her lip and Suzie's mouth opened in shock at his statement.

"No!" Becca fumed. "If he doesn't turn up by this afternoon, we search for him. End of story! You listen up, Randall: in this group we take care of each other! It's not every monster for himself."

Randall flinched as the others became angry as well. They glowered at him with all the strength they could muster. He was not easy to intimidate, but it was a very unnerving moment.

OK, so maybe he went a little too far.

"If you want to stay with us, learn to be a part of this group," Becca went on, her temper simmering down. "It's not just about surviving. We watch each other's backs, no matter what."

Randall pondered these words. He never watched anyone's back; it was not his way. But if doing so would integrate him into this group of misfits, fine. He'd join a search party, should one be formed. With Suzie and Naomi whispering angry words about him, he returned to cleaning the elk hide. He may as well keep working while they waited for Bernard's return…if the man showed up at all.

 **We're still in the survival story mode, and things are starting to get more serious starting with Bernard's disappearance. Randall is going to be learning some valuable life lessons as he goes on tolerating this group of outcasts. Right now, everyone's kind of mad at him. Naomi is so fun to write because I doubt she's the type of monster who would enjoy being out in the woods. lol. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :) Stayed tuned for more.**


	10. The Missing Monster

**It's time to form a search party for Bernard, who has mysteriously gone missing. In this chapter, everyone gets very anxious, and Becca tries to further get Randall to talk about his family back in Monstropolis, with no success. Enjoy!**

Chapter Nine: The Missing Monster

Everyone kept busy to avoid speaking. Nobody was in the mood to even look at Randall, not after his heartless remarks about Bernard's disappearance. He finished the elk hide, scraping it spotless and stretching it out as best he could. The final result was not as big as he would have liked. It would take at least two more hides to construct a single tent. This was the biggest animal he had ever skinned. (Gator hides in the bayous were a bit too tough and not worth the effort.) Suzie's forlorn face plainly said she felt sorry for the animal, but verbally said nothing. Everyone in the group knew that hunting was necessary to stay alive.

That afternoon was long and terrible. The sun may have been shining at full strength, bit it felt like a tense storm approaching within the monsters' campsite.

Naomi, Becca and Suzie were all doing mundane chores: gathering water, constructing their own crude weapons, gathering suitable plants to light fires, or doing jumping jacks just to relieve some stress. At random times, one or two monsters would leave for some scouting. They did not go very far, for really they were keeping a close watch to see if Bernard was anywhere near. A full hard-care search would not take place until later, if he failed to show up. If the man had indeed become lost, then the afternoon gave him enough time to find his way back.

Randall was still pondering over Becca's words. Watching each other's backs? He could barely grasp the idea. Why should he watch out for these monsters whom he had only known for a few weeks? The thought of just heading out on his own _did_ come across his mind…in the swamp he had never had any real problems…except for the sheer loneliness. That was the only thing stopping him from ditching this group of misfits.

Randall took his bow and slingshot to do some shooting practice. That would pass the time; the others were refusing to speak to him, anyway. Getting out of the campsite for a while was probably the best thing to do right now.

…

"Oh, this is bad," Naomi remarked that evening. "Look, the sun's setting already, and there's no sign of him! What do we do?"

All four of them were together around the little campfire. Naomi had been cooking elk meat, leaving some of the portions raw for those in the group who preferred it uncooked. Like Randall, she liked her meat well-done. She turned a portion on the spit while waiting for Becca's response.

The forest green monster was pacing back and forth anxiously. With the late, yellow-orange sun cutting through the pine trees, her golden speckles glittered. The same thing was happening to Suzie, only against blue scales. The brightness would be easy to spot through the forest. Not necessarily a good thing if you were hiding out away from the eyes of park rangers.

Randall was hanging carefree, upside-down from a branch. He decided to remain in the background, out of the conversation. If the others were still angry, he didn't want to deal with any riled-up tempers. This whole learning-to-be-patient thing was certainly a slow-going process.

"Hello? Earth to Rebecca!" Naomi repeated a little louder. "What do we do?"

Becca frowned at her full name, but answered. "Let's give him until morning."

"But I thought you said by this evening—" Suzie began.

"I know, I know. But it just occurred to me that doing a wide-spread search won't be such a smart idea at night. We're only just learning the land's layout. Suzie, you'll get lost before going half a mile. No offense."

Suzie shrugged off the comment. There was no denying her bad sense of direction.

Naomi finished cooked her portion of venison and pulled it off the spit with her claw. "So, it's sleeping in shifts as usual?"

"Yep. Randall, you're taking the first watch. No excuses!" Becca ordered when he opened his mouth to protest. "If Bernard shows up, you are to wake the rest of us right away." She returned to her pacing. "He's never been gone so long before."

"Yeah," sighed Suzie. "Hope he's alright…you don't think those humans found him, do you?"

Becca looked at her sister with worry. "…I hope not."

Randall added nothing to the discussion. It was definitely possible Bernard had been caught. It was hard to miss a bright red monster the size of an overgrown gorilla. He didn't see what was so special about Bernard. Granted, the man was an expert fisherman, but all he really did around here was deciding the fate of the group. He was not a talkative sort, was very solemn, and had yet to trust Randall when it came to handling the pistols and shotgun. (Of course, the guns couldn't be used in this massive park, but still…)

Becca was perfectly suited for leading, with her bossy attitude, but it was easy to see she and the others were very attached to the older monster. At times he almost acted like their father.

Randall crossed all his arms as he hung by his tail. It looked like he was going to have to join in a search weather he wanted to or not.

…

All night they waited, sleeping in shifts as was normal, but with one less member. Nothing wandered into the camp, save for a few scavenging raccoons that had to be frightened off.

At dawn, Becca took it upon herself to take command in Bernard's absence. Her past as a scare coach suited her to the position and she wasted no time in deciding what was to be done. Randall could tell the others were still mad with him, so he ate his breakfast of berries and fish up on a branch. From there, he watched the ongoing conversation down below.

"So what exactly happened yesterday, Becca?" Naomi was asking. "You said some people spotted you?"

"Yeah. We had scouted up to the very edge of that complex," Becca stood up to explain. "The ranger station was only ten feet away. I guess we just went too close. A bunch of crazy kids came tearing around the corner, out of nowhere! Playing tag or something. I'm positive they caught a glimpse of us…we were already at the very edge of the woods, so we retreated."

"Did the kids follow?" Suzie bit her lip.

"Unfortunately. Bernard said to split up, move in zigzags until they gave up, and then meet back here. I must've run a good mile before shaking the kids off. They were a persistent bunch."

Randall wasn't surprised when she assigned him to spend the whole day at camp. That made sense, just in case the man showed up spontaneously while they were out searching. With the others still a little angry, he was glad to be out of the way for a time.

"We'll be back later, Randall. Don't wait up for us." Becca said harshly as she led the small party away.

"Take your time, by all means." He said under his breath. _Goodness knows you all could use the trek to cool down._

They were heading towards the forest surrounding the hotel and other buildings that made up the park complex. It was suicide, going back there, especially after being glimpsed by people. It was fine for someone like him, who could just disappear. But for the rest of the gang? There wasn't a chance of avoiding detection.

He swung back and forth by his tail, amused at how the trees appeared upside-down. This whole situation left him quite undisturbed. Let them learn the hard way. He was just going to wait here and keep to himself. He could get in some more shooting practice with the bow. Or maybe do some colour-changing whenever an insect buzzed by. There was always something to do on long, boring days like this.

…

The three monsters tried to be inconspicuous as they approached the complex. Suzie didn't often go on dangerous missions like this and tried not to hyperventilate. Becca managed to keep her sister calm for the most part, as they neared the ranger station.

"Why are we diving straight into trouble again?" Naomi questioned. "In case you haven't noticed, Becca, it's broad daylight."

"This is the only way we'll find out if Bernard was caught or not. The rangers are bound to keep him in there; all I need is a quick look. If nothing suspicious is going on, we take to the woods—or maybe check the rest of the complex..."

"Please make up your mind. But if I get captured by humans, I'm blaming you! And also never speaking to you again."

Becca wanted the others to keep a lookout as she crept up to the window alone. If trouble arose, it would be easier for just one monster to run off into the forest instead of three. It was extremely risky, though. Even from here, she heard families walking around, talking and laughing loudly, enjoying their summer vacations. Luckily no one came dashing around the corner. She reached the ranger station's window. This building was not quite as public as the others; if a big, red monster had been taken into custody, he was sure to be held inside…she flattened the fins on her head so they didn't stick up and carefully peeked through the glass…

Two uniformed men were in there. One sat at a desk going over paperwork, while the other stood in the middle of the room eating a blueberry muffin. Their voices were muffled, but she heard a dull conversation about the hotel's café and the muffins and omelets being served there.

"Mmm…a café…haven't been to one of those in a while," she mumbled. "No! Focus!"

There was not a trace of unusual activity, and no sign of Bernard. The rangers were acting so casually and so routinely, that she doubted any big, red creatures had been caught from the forest. That was a good sign.

Returning to Suzie and Naomi, she told them what she witnessed. "…but I want to listen in on a few other rangers, just to be absolutely sure."

Suzie and Naomi didn't want to hide out so close to the station, but agreed in the end.

They spent a good hour there, watching rangers come and go. Whenever a new person went inside, a monster would creep up beneath the window to listen for any interesting facts. Nothing about a big red creature ever came up.

Everyone could breathe a huge sigh of relief.

"OK, that's the first good thing that's happened all day. Think we can raid that café or the restaurant while we're here?" Naomi said in a joking tone.

"Let's make Randall do that. When the five of us are all back together," said Suzie. "Becca, don't you think we've given him the silent treatment long enough?"

Becca did not answer the question. "Let's get out of here. There's a lot of forest to search around this complex. Hopefully there are no nearby campgrounds."

For the rest of the day, the gang covered the nearby forest for any sign of Bernard. It was tough. Many roads led in and out of the place. A few cars drove by, and a group of hikers passed through the undergrowth at one point. Sometimes even a families' dog explored in the ferns, coming disturbingly close to the monsters' hiding spots. So much activity was here; every human seemed happy, relishing their vacations and soaking up the sunshine and beautiful wilderness. It was obvious no strange sighting had happened recently. The three monsters kept on the move constantly, hoping against hope that they would stumble across some clue as to Bernard's whereabouts. By the time evening arrived, the reality was clear.

There was no way Bernard was anywhere near this busy place.

When they returned to camp, finding Randall whittling at some wood tranquilly, the mood fared no better.

Suzie and Naomi were starving from all the walking, hiding and eavesdropping today. They dug into the fresh stock of birds Randall had killed. He had done plenty of hunting, preparing a feast as his way of silent apology. In a way, they accepted it as a peace offering for his heartless remarks from yesterday.

Becca, after a long while, dug in as well. She and Randall looked at one another and nodded; his apology was accepted wordlessly. She looked over her shoulder, out into the woods, as she ate. There had been no luck so far…now, a fierce determination shone in her eyes.

…

The entirety of the second day was to be spent combing only the forest. This time, Randall was permitted to join. Suzie volunteered to wait at camp today. Despite having little practice with a bow, Randall left her the set for protection. He'd take his slingshot instead. It had served him well back in the bayous and still did.

"OK, listen up," Becca gathered everyone together. "More ground needs to be covered, and this will be easier if we split up. I'll head east. Naomi, you go out towards the meadows, and Randall, you go west. Don't leave any forest unturned. Everyone have their map?"

"Got it," Naomi waved it around as proof. Randall nodded.

"Any advice for me?" Suzie piped up.

"Stay on patrol here. You never know; Bernard might turn up. He's a good navigator, and if he's alright, he's probably on his way here already…" she tried to convince herself. "And if any humans come this way, Suzie, I want you to hide. Got it? You stay safe." Becca gave her sister a quick hug when the others had their backs turned.

"I will. You too!"

They planned on searching through the trees all day. Personally, Randall couldn't see what good it would do. Two million square acres of national park, with one missing monster to find…the odds seemed rather slim. If the man had been banished for over a decade, surely he would have enough experience to find his way back to camp in due time.

He parted from Becca and Naomi for his share of the job _. Oh well. At least I have some time alone out here._ It would be the perfect chance to get the lay of the land. He marched out into the forest in relatively good spirits. On the way, he climbed the tallest trees for kicks; the conifers here were far teller then the old cypress-draped perches back in Louisiana. Spectacular views were to be had in the canopies. From up there, he also made a few trick shots with the slingshot and killed a few more birds.

Later, as he strolled through the undergrowth, he kept every finger crossed that someone would find Bernard. It wasn't that he cared much, but massive searches like this certainly were draining. The sooner the man was found, the less aimless wandering they all had to do. However, as the day dragged on, the more Randall felt sure something bad had happened to the man.

When everyone congregated back at camp that evening, they were still short one member.

"Any luck?" Suzie asked hesitantly.

"No." said Naomi, squatting by the campfire to breathe a jet of flame into it. "He's still out there, somewhere."

Becca collapsed with exhaustion at the base of a tree, while Randall climbed like a gecko into its branches for some much-needed rest. Suzie sighed in a melancholy way. Everyone was getting more uneasy every minute.

…

On the third day, even Randall had to admit he was becoming a tad concerned. With the man's twelve years of experience in the Human World, three days was way too long to be merely lost. Early that morning, he joined the others to formulate today's plan. So much time had passed since last seeing Bernard that the mood was very tense.

"Something terrible must've happened," Suzie panicked as they prepared to head out for another go. "You don't think he ditched us, do you?"

"No, of course not! He'd _never_ do that to us," Becca reassured. "Let's focus…where have we _not_ gone? We've gone over every blade of grass within in a ten mile radius, it seems."

Naomi consulted the map. "Um…what about along the river?"

"I thought we checked that yesterday." Randall swung down from his branch.

"Not far enough, though. That river leads pretty deep into the forest," Becca pondered. "…He did run in that general direction, come to think of it, when we were spotted."

"You don't sound so sure."

"Let's just go with it, all right? Time is wasting! We'll move in parties of two; that way we can search both sides of the river and the surrounding forest to boot. This is going to be a longer search than normal, so let's pack plenty of food."

To choose teams, they played another round of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors.' To Randall's dismay, he ended up with Becca _. Great. I'll never hear the end of it from her, getting pushed around all day._ He tried to find a bright side…there wasn't any, but he refrained from complaining.

Suzie and Naomi were to be the other team. Becca entrusted them with the largest of the maps and gave a final set of orders. "Remember, keep to the river, and whatever you do, don't lose sight of it. We'll all meet back here by midnight tonight."

"Think he's still around out there?" Suzie gazed through the trees, looking down towards the lake shore. The river emptied into it in a series of small waterfalls; that was there their epic search would begin.

"He'd better be," Becca replied. "Now, stick close to Naomi, you hear? I don't want to conduct a quest for more missing monsters. As hopeless as Naomi is in the woods, at least she had a better sense of direction then you…sorry, Suzie, but it's true!"

Suzie didn't take offense and only giggled in agreement.

They party geared up and divided into their separate teams. Their backpacks were loaded with weapons and food, all set for a grand hike to who-knows-where…this was to be a rough day.

…

By midday, Randall was just about ready to strangle the woman! All morning she had been overly dictatorial, telling where to go, when to stop, and she constantly expressed her concerns for Bernard's safety. This was one of the biggest crises she had experienced in the Human World, and she was not enjoying it. Her stress level was so high that Randall half-expected her to explode.

He was keeping quiet; all his patience was just about worn through. If he spoke, he was bound to regret it. Sure, his own temper wasn't the greatest, but Becca's was far worse. Dealing with her bossiness was tiresome enough.

They rested right at the river's edge to eat lunch. It was nothing fancy: just a handful of edible tree bark, some greens, and a fish each. Becca promptly dove into the water to catch a fresh one. With gills, of course she did not resurface for some time. Those minutes alone were coveted by Randall. Any minute without being pestered was a good one.

They ate their lunches slowly. Both were growing tired; the search had taken them farther then they had ever been from the campsite. This area of forest was extremely thick; so thick that they could eat out in the open by the riverbank without worry. Somewhere on the opposite banks were Suzie and Naomi, but since the waters were so wide, it was no use trying to spot them.

Randall finished his meal and was drinking from a bottle of water to wash it down. He was feeling much better now. For some reason, meals out here were far more satisfying knowing he had hunted, gathered, and worked for it, despite the food not being very tasteful.

"I think we should go a little farther before heading back," Becca said as she crunched on fish bones.

"We've been marching for hours and haven't seen a soul. The others could have found him by now."

"And what if they haven't? What if we're close and Bernard is wandering around within a mile of us?"

"Ugh…" Randall snarled. "You are never going to stop, are you?"

Now, Becca snarled. "Hey! It's high time you started to care, Boggs! What else would we do? Just abandon him in the middle of this deathtrap of a park? He had a knife with no other weapons when we outran those humans. It's summer, and there are bears, cougars and wolf parks out there. And worse, campers who'll mistake him for Bigfoot and start snooping around."

He did not reply, not wanting to admit she had a point.

Becca swallowed the remnants of her lunch, calming down. "Look, once you spend some more time in our group, you'll understand. Bernard is the one who formed our little gang in the first place. If not for him, Suzie and I would still be wandering around in northern Canada, and be dead from frostbite by now. Do you even care?"

Again, he said nothing for the sake of avoiding an argument.

"…My father died a very long time ago. Bernard reminds me of him, a lot. If any of your family vanished without a trace in a place like this, wouldn't you go looking for them?"

He answered honestly. "If any of _them_ vanished without a trace? Probably not; 'least not right away. We're not what you call close."

That answer didn't satisfy Becca. "You never told us, Boggs. Who did you leave behind? If you're not close, do they even know you're here?"

Randall hesitated. He himself wasn't too sure of the answer, but said what he thought was true. "No. They don't."

"Why not?"

 _Uh oh. Tell a lie, tell a lie, tell a lie…don't mention the scream extractor._ He couldn't bring up his past. The gang would never trust him otherwise! No lies came to him, so he did the next best thing: refuse to talk. "They just don't know I'm here. End of story, so let's leave it at that." He crossed every arm stubbornly. The subject was extremely awkward, unwanted, and at times, a painful reminder of the world left behind. "I just want to forget them."

There. That seemed to satisfy Becca's curiosity. Her constant, hard-faced expression softened over so slightly and she dropped the subject.

After resting a while longer, listening to birdsongs, the two got to their feet once again. "C'mon," said Becca, sounding weary. "Just a few more miles, and then we'll head back."

 _Fine, but Bernard had better turn up soon, or this search will never end._ Randall shouldered his back pack and begrudgingly followed.

…

Meanwhile, Suzie and Naomi had covered far more ground on their side of the river.

They had travelled a few miles ahead of Randall and Becca, to a place with fewer trees. Steep, rocky slopes led down to the river, which were quite dangerous to walk along. Some slopes jutted down a long ways, more than thirty feet in some places. Both monsters disregarded the danger and walked along the edge, anyway. They made a game of hopping from rock to rock to pass the time. With the forest so thick, humans would have a difficult spell hiking this far upstream.

Suzie stood atop a tall boulder to admire the view. From there, she could see plenty of sky, and far across the river canyon into the forest beyond. "Not a bad view! Maybe we should move camp up here. What do you think, Naomi?"

Naomi whined as she clambered onto a boulder as well. "I say, 'are you crazy?' These rocks are brutal terrain!" They took a moment to survey the land for signs of life. Naomi sighed. "No sign of him yet. How much farther should we walk?"

"As far as possible before mid-afternoon."

Naomi put her hands on her hips and frowned in disappointment. She was sore all over, had cuts and scrapes on her legs, and was getting very thirsty. Not to mention hungry, tired and dripping with sweat.

This search would be more effective if they called out Bernard's name, but that was out of the question. As remote as this area was, park rangers might hear such calls and come to investigate. The odds of hikers braving this terrain were a little slim, but it still wasn't worth the risk.

The monsters had yet to break for lunch. Naomi squinted skyward; it must be nearly noon by now. She hopped over a few more rocks to catch up. "Think we can have lunch under a tree somewhere? The day's getting hotter every second."

"Good idea," Suzie agreed. "Just a little bit farther, though. See that ridge up ahead? We should be able to see for miles from there. Then we can eat."

"Good. What a hike…and this heat is frizzing up my hair like a haystack! Some summer this is turning out to be." Naomi tried to smooth out her unkempt purple tresses. "Stupid hair…it ued to be perfect. I didn't go to a hair salon every week for nothing."

Suzie paused to let Naomi catch up and sighed. "Why don't you just cut it?"

"No way!"

"It'd be easier to deal with in the wilderness. You'd look cute as a button with short hair. It'd be adorable."

"I don't wanna look 'cute as a button,' I wanna look hot."

"That is the stupidest thing you have ever said, Princess." Suzie rolled her eyes, frustrated with her vain ways. "We're nearly there. You'll feel better once we have something to eat."

At the high point on the rocky riverbank, the cliff sloped down at an extremely deadly angle. Water tumbled along about forty feet below in an ever-flowing stream. This was indeed not a smart place to even attempt to reach for human hikers. As Suzie unpacked food form the backpacks, she began to relax and recite a few jokes. Naomi stood in the shade, almost too close to the cliff's edge. Even she couldn't help but admire the view from the great vantage point.

"OK, here's a one-liner," said Suzie. "'I cried to catch some fog today. But I mist.'"

Naomi continued looking down into the canyon, distracted. She did not respond.

"Naomi? Get it?"

But Naomi had gone stiff all of a sudden. She knelt down on the rocks and pointed downward. She stopped fussing over her frizzy hair and with her other hand, beckoned for Suzie to come over. "Suzie…we found him!" Her terrified expression was enough to make Suzie leap over in one bound. She, too, gazed down at the river, following Naomi's pointing claw.

Bernard was not lost anymore. They saw him far below at the bottom of the slope. His backpack lay there on the rocks beside him with the contents spilling out.

His massive red form lay face-down at the river's edge, unmoving.

 **Slight cliffhanger. (mwhahaha!) So now the group has a big problem to try and fix. I sort of viewed Bernard as a fatherly figure and the glue that holds this group of survivors together. After writing about my OCs for so long, it kills me to have anything bad happen to them! But the plot of this fic has been all planned out from the start. Now that things are getting more interesting, I can't wait to type out the next part! Catch you later! :)**


	11. The Supply Raid

**Alright! Chapter 10! Here, Randall and Becca manage to tolerate each other long enough to go on a much-needed raid to help the group. This is one of my favorite parts in the story. Cue Mission Impossible theme song. Enjoy!**

Chapter Ten: The Supply Raid

Suzie disregarded the danger of shouting aloud. "Bernard!" she didn't care if hikers heard. The downed monster didn't move. "Bernard!"

Naomi silenced her. "Shh! Someone might hear that."

"We've gotta get down there…oh, where to climb down?" The rocky slope was too steep, and a good forty foot descent. "Hurry, let's pack up. We'll have to backtrack to a safe spot." She was practically shaking with panic. It was all she could do to breathe calmly.

It was a mad scramble as their lunch was repacked. Both had lost their appetite. They tripped, jumped, and skinned their knees on the rocks without even noticing. When a lower slope was found, it was yet another stumble down to the river's edge. Every second wasted was a treacherous one.

Bernard was still lying like a dead man when they finally reached him.

"Bernard! Oh, God…" Naomi stopped scarcely three feet away from him. She was too scared to come any closer. "Is he…?"

Suzie was checking for a pulse. She sighed in relief. "Yes, he's alive. Still breathing and everything. Thank goodness."

Naomi gazed up at the cliff-like slope. From down here, it seemed even more daunting. There was a definite track running down from the edge. Bernard's fate was not hard to deduce: he had been too close to the edge and fallen all this way. He was dusted with dirt and bits of rock and pebbles. A big gash on his head had bled into his colorful feather crest. Some feathers were bent in odd angles, or on the verge of falling out. A few cuts were on his torso, but those didn't look too serious. What was most worrying was an enormous bruise on his skull. Suzie and Naomi went pale upon finding it: a black, blue and purple thing it was, with quite a bit of dried blood. Had Bernard been lying here, unconscious, for three whole days?

"Oh! What do we do?" Suzie said, flustered, clutching the sides of her face as if to keep her head on straight. "How do we get him back to camp?"

Naomi pointed out a backwards bend in Bernard's right leg. "Bad idea. Even if we could lift him, I don't think it's safe to move that leg."

"How much first aid do you know?"

"Not much. What about you?"

"Nothing."

Naomi began pacing fast. "OK, let's not panic! Let's think…thinking is good…um…do Becca or Randall know first aid?"

"I think Becca knows a little. I've never asked Randall, though." Suzie looked back at Bernard's broken body. "Should we flip him over?"

"No, don't touch him. That might make it worse. He must've fallen head over heels—how'd he end up this far away from camp, anyway? Those humans must've been tacking him if he wandering all the way out here!"

Suzie was tenderly feeling for any more broken bones. The leg was obvious: right below the knee, the bone visibly bent at a weird angle. But she also checked his other leg, and each arm. They seemed alright, albeit a little bruised. She pushed the feathers aside on his back to check for any more injuries. "Oh no. Naomi, we're got to flip him over. Some of his ribs feel broken."

Neither felt sure if it was a smart idea, but Bernard's weight could be pressing down on cracked ribs. So they worked together and rolled him onto his back as gently as they could. It took several tries; the man had to weigh at least five hundred pounds.

"There. OK, what do we do now?" Suzie panted from the effort.

"Go for help, of course. Randall and Becca are on the opposite bank, right? They can't be too far." Naomi looked at the unconscious Bernard. "You stay with him."

"All by myself? Don't leave me out here—"

"One of us has to stay, right? We can't just leave him like this. What if he wakes up? Or animals come?" Suzie nodded in understanding. Naomi could be quite serious when the situation called for it. "Here. Take the food from my backpack and…oh! Here are a few extra knives and a pistol, just in case a bear or something comes. You'll be fine."

As she handed over the supplies, Suzie felt not so sure. Bernard might have a concussion—how bad it was, no one could say—but with him out like a light, she would be on her own. She would have to divert and hikers, or shoo away scavenging animals to keep him safe. After three days unconscious by the riverbed, helpless, it was amazing no further harm had come to him.

"Come back soon, OK?"

"I will, I promise." Naomi hopped over some boulders to cross the river. Randall and Becca were somewhere along this side…one of them must have better idea about what to do. She hadn't a clue how to handle broken bones. After finding a safe spot to scramble precariously back into the forest, she practically ran into its shadows. Bernard needed help. _Now_!

…

Becca had tried everything to try and get Randall to talk. There was still something about him she didn't like. He was a stubborn monster, maybe more so then her, and refusing to answer all the questions she had about his background. And although his reason for banishment sounded truthful, she was still suspicious. She was _sure_ he was hiding something…"Then again, I'm probably just overreacting. I do tend to do that." She muttered.

She led the way along the river with Randall a few steps behind. Judging by the sun's position, it was early afternoon. They wouldn't make it back to camp before midnight if they explored much further. Soon it would be time to head back downstream.

Becca stole a glimpse at Randall. He had proved himself useful enough; he made supply raiding more successful, and was a superb hunter. Weather his background was true or not, she supposed it didn't really matter. He was handy to have around out here in the wilderness. "I guess we were right in taking him in." In the back of her mind, Becca decided to keep trying to learn more about his history. Just to put her curious mind at ease. It was clear he didn't want to talk right this second, but she could always try again later.

"Hold it," Randall said suddenly. "You hear that?" He cocked his head to one side and listened to the forest.

Becca paused, too.

Not too far away, but getting louder every moment, was the sound of a running pair of feet. They were very careless feet, thumping on the grass as if fleeing from a wild beast, and snapping twigs left and right. The two monsters dove for cover behind some trees without saying a word. Becca ducked into a bush, while Randall blended into some bark.

…

"Gotta hurry, gotta hurry…" Naomi panted as she ran. She paid no heed to the snags on her dress. Of course she would run into an overgrown patch of thorn bushes! Nothing seemed to be going right today.

She pushed on through the thorns and kept going.

…

Randall and Suzie popped out of hiding in alarm as Naomi dashed past. "Hey, Naomi! Get back here!" Becca called. "Just where do you think you're off to?"

"Oh, there you are! Thank goodness, this saves me the trip," Naomi screeched to a halt and came back to them.

"Where's Suzie? I told you to watch her!"

"She's fine, she's with Bernard…" As Naomi launched into the news, both good and bad, Randall had a feeling the situation was far from over. Long before her tale was even finished, he realized a whole list of new problems rising: what were they to do if they couldn't get Bernard back to camp? What if his bump on the head was serious? Obviously they had to make a splint for a broken leg. Instantly, he knew they would have to move the entire camp all the way out to this remote location. _Damn. That sounds like a lot of fun…oh well…it's not Bernard's fault he tumbled forty feet into a ravine…or maybe it is._

An argument over the next course of action had begun. Becca wanted to move the camp immediately, until Bernard's leg was fully healed. Naomi thought of making a stretcher out of branches; with a little teamwork, maybe the rest of the gang could transport him through the forest, somehow.

Randall rolled his eyes. This was going nowhere, so he decided to voice his opinion. His own idea seemed the smartest one thus far. "He should stay where he is. I doubt moving him is a good plan. How bad is the leg, Naomi?"

"Bad."

"We could make a splint with some of the stuff from camp. Like the tent poles. The sheets can be torn into bandages." The others lit up at the suggestion. "Or if neither of you want to lose the supplies we have, how about raiding the hotel for _real_ emergency supplies? There's bound to be a first aid room in there somewhere."

Becca seemed to favor that plan. "That's smart; then, if something this serious ever happens again, we'll be more prepared."

Naomi nodded in agreement.

"OK, here's what we do," Becca took over. "Randall, you and I are going back to the complex; this'll be like an infiltration mission. Naomi, since you and Suzie still have food with you, I want you both to stay with Bernard; try to make him comfortable and have a go at making a splint out of whatever you can find. This'll likely be an overnight trip."

"Think you could bring back some real food from the hotel café while you're at it? I'm dying for a scone or a muffin, human flavors or not."

"Ugh, fine," Randall then turned to Becca, not really happy at the prospect of being stuck with her for longer. "I take it we'll be moving the camp out here, as well?"

"Of course! Bernard can't very well _walk_ back, can he?"

The monsters parted ways, moving very fast with urgency. Naomi took several backwards glances until the others were out of sight, swallowed up by the forest.

"This is the first real accident that's ever happened!" She realized as she made her way back through the thorn bushes. "Hope they'll pull through. It'll be tomorrow by the time they get back…and they'd better bring me a scone!"

…

By travelling quickly, they made it to the campsite by late that evening. Both were completely wiped out and took a bite to eat before the great infiltration.

"OK, genius," said Becca as she chewed on some elk meat. "This scheme is all your idea, so how do you propose we do this? Stroll in through the front doors of the lobby?"

Randall squinted at the sarcastic tone. "I was thinking along the lines of the back door. Like the basement. You've snooped around the complex a few times already; did you notice any security systems or alarms?"

"Don't know for sure, but we should expect them. Don't tell me you know how to deactivate them."

"…OK, I won't tell you." Randall smirked at her baffled expression. "Relax, it's child's play. We'll be in and out before you know it."

Now, Becca's suspicions were raised a tad higher. The man had said he worked as a Scarer. But why did he know so much about machines and mechanics? First the invented weapons, then his backstory involving scream canister technology, hotwiring all those stolen cars, and now this. She shook her thoughts aside, deciding she was overacting. His knowledge was probably only a hobby.

When it was dark enough and safe to traverse through the forest, they left camp. Their overall plan was to complete the supply raid, come back here for some shut-eye, and begin travelling upstream in the morning.

For the mission, Randall led the way this time. What a relief! It was a nice change from Becca bossing him around. She seemed rather anxious about the mission, but did not say so in words. On the silent journey to the complex, Becca kept glancing left and right for fear of some unwanted creature turning up. Whether it be human or animal. The echoes of owl hoots and wolf howls came from the forest; some sounding incredibly close. She was not one to be afraid; she was a survivor out here, but the thought of being left alone in a dark forest made her uneasy.

The ranger station's lights were on and voices could be heard inside. A few other assorted buildings, like the information center, were as dark as the night. The gravel parking lot (mostly full of rangers' jeeps and guests' camper vans) was deserted, so the two monsters were able to sneak past with ease. They crept through the shadows, around the buildings, until finding an out-of-the-way basement entrance. It stood within a tiny, chain-link enclosure, which as expected, had a security alarm at the latch. Climbing over was not an option; a little roof kept the whole thing very off-limits to visitors.

"I'm coming in there, too," Becca insisted unexpectedly. "You're not leaving me out here in the dark."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark!" said Randall, fighting back a chuckle when she made a guilty face. Becca, the tough, no-nonsense sharp-shooter, was afraid of the dark! "If you come in, you'll be spotted in no time. You expect me to watch your back the entire time?"

"Humph. You don't have to; I can handle myself! Just unlock the door."

Randall pulled a knife from his backpack to use as a screwdriver. Removing the cover of the key pad was easy. After all, he had had to do something similar when he accidentally locked himself out of his house one day back in the Monster World. All it took was a few tweaks of the internal wiring…he was forced to experiment, though. This looked very different from Monster alarms. In a few minutes, the illuminated lights of the keypad went out and the gate latch 'clicked.'

"Ta da," Randall opened the gate nonchalantly.

"Check for security cameras before I head in."

"Fine. Here, hold this." He gave her his backpack and vanished before her eyes. He opened the basement door a crack, just enough to slip inside.

One thing that struck him was what a nice, air-conditioned corridor this was. He took a quick look around, down the hall's length and into the adjacent rooms on either side. Mounted up in the corners were two cameras to put an end to—another easy fix. Invisible, he slinked around and adjusted a few wires to make it look like a technical glitch. While doing so, he could take a survey of each room. This seemed to be the hotel's laundry room, with a janitor's closet and maintenance rooms nearby. Every molecule of air smelled of bleach and detergent. It was strong enough to make him gag.

Nonetheless, this was a fortunate place to be in. _Talk about luck! Everything we need could be in here._

No people were around, so he reappeared and opened the door for Becca. "All clear. Let's get what we need and go."

"Don't forget, a med kit is priority. Who knows how well Bernard will do without one? Oh, and let's go up to the café while we're here. Naomi's kind of right; some real food will do us good. You can do that part."

"You think this is some sort of shopping trip?"

"Well, when will a chance like this come again?" Becca counter-argued. She strolled into the big laundry room, which was a maze of washers, dryers and shelves stocked with linens and pillowcases. The room was so large that her voice echoed slightly. She got to work right away and began nabbing clean, folded sheets to stuff into her pack.

Randall went to explore the rest of the basement. It was a good thing only one stairwell led down here. He could keep an ear out for footsteps, although he seriously doubted anyone would be doing laundry at this hour. In the maintenance room, he found a treasure trove of tools. He took some real screwdrivers, a hammer, and a couple rolls of duct tape; the sticky stuff was extremely useful. Plus, the tools could double as weapons out in the forest. He squinted along every shelf, taking his time…no medical supplies, though.

"Hey Randall, any luck?" Becca called from the laundry room.

"Got some tools. What did you find?"

"Sheets and blankets. I can't carry the quilts; they're too bulky…ugh, what is wrong with these people?" she surveyed the hallway after poking her head into the janitor's closet. "Where do they keep the first aid stuff?...oh, look, I found some books!" On a shelf, she spied a few nature guides and took them. "Suzie will like these. Not the most fascinating topics, but she'll read anything."

The two snooped around for a little longer, but had no more good fortune. Each pondered over where to go next.

"There's got to be a first aid place for the hotel guests. It wouldn't be down here," Randall deduced. He moved toward the stairwell and peered up to check for trouble. "I don't see any cameras. I'm going up there. Are you coming, or staying down here in the _dark_?" Now that he knew the one thing she was afraid of, he couldn't resist rubbing it in. A monster like her who was afraid of the dark was so ironic.

"Har, har. You're hilarious." She came along. They would stick to the plan of taking out any cameras and making this mission as short as possible. Any moment, a janitor or housekeeper could turn a corner and find them. It was best to hurry up the search.

Randall remained invisible, but kept his backpack on so Becca would know where to step. He stuck his head through every doorway, and looked around every corner. If he spotted a camera, he would slip the pack off and whisper for Becca to wait. Then he'd slink off to disable it. In this way, they managed to pass through the hallways with hearts pumping nervously.

The hotel was not fancy. Being in a nature park, it reminded one of a very large cabin, or a lodge. Its walls were wood, the pictures were local wildlife photographs, and there were many indoor plants for decoration. These turned out to be excellent places to hide. The lights were slightly dimmed for the night, but the monsters still had to be wary.

It took two wrong turns and a couple of dead ends until the huge lobby was found.

Just as he predicted, Randall saw some hotel staff here: two ladies at the front desk on night shift, and an old janitor vacuuming the carpets. The lights shone a bit brighter here, adding to the danger. The duo ducked behind a couple of potted plants. In sight was the entryway to the hotel café, but in order to reach it, they would have to get across the foyer. If they looked further down the hall, they could see tonight's main goal: a first aid room.

 _Bingo. The job's almost done. What a night this is turning out to be._ Randall slipped off his backpack and hid it amongst the leaves of the potted plant. With the janitor vacuuming loudly, it seemed safe to whisper to Becca. "Let's hurry this up. I can get the medical supplies across the room better than you can, so I'll go to the first aid room, and you head to the café—"

"And how the hell am I supposed to get over there? Figure that one out, Techno-Geek."

He hissed at the insult. "Let me finish. I'll create a diversion to get these people out of the way. Then you make a run for it. It shouldn't take more than five seconds to run across the room."

"Fine." She relented, knowing he could make it there and back quicker than her, anyway. "Meet me in the café once you find that kit!"

"Got it." He disappeared and maneuvered between the lobby sofas and chairs. Over the sound of the vacuum he heard the two desk clerks chatting about malfunctioning security cameras. _That sure didn't take long to be discovered._ Randall smirked slyly.

Looking around, he saw endless opportunities for distractions. First, he followed the vacuum cord to its outlet and unplugged it. Next, he smashed a small potted plant just out of the clerks' lines of sight. The janitor was old and walked rather slowly to go and see why his vacuum and stopped working, while the two ladies left the desk entirely to see what had crashed.

As the janitor passed by the mess of dirt and broken pottery, he muttered in a wheezy voice, "Great…more work to be done…"

Randall hoped Becca would clue in as to when to run. Sure enough, she made a quick dash across the vast room when the staffs' backs were turned. She acted calmly and concentrated on staying quiet. Randall's final glimpse of her was her tail whipping into the café out of sight. He wasn't worried. Becca could take care of herself if the staff decided to snoop around—she would probably hit them in the face with a frying pan.

Down the hallway, Randall crawled along the wall to find the first aid room unlocked. That was surprising, but a stroke of luck. Someone must've forgotten to close it up for the night. The inside reminded him of a nurse's office. There were cots, a sink, a few shelves, and a large white cabinet with red crosses on the doors. He began a thorough search of the place and opened everything within reach, moving fast and scanning each and every object. Not until the upper cupboards did he find what was needed.

 _Success!_ He pulled out an emergency med kit, rolls of white bandages, and medicinal alcohol. As a bonus, he found a first-aid book in the back of the cabinet. He was careful to leave the room tidy; no one should ever know a monster had been here.

The staff ase still occupied with the mess in the lobby. Now seemed a good time to fetch his backpack. Randall kept on ducking behind sofas, plants, even the check-in desk, to stay hidden. A floating med kit and backpack was somewhat of a give-away.

…

Meanwhile, Becca was having a grand time raiding the café kitchen.

Places like this often saved the unsold baked goods for the next day. A basket of wrapped blueberry muffins were ripe for the picking. She also took a look in the refrigerator to find lots of apples and oranges. She didn't really like the taste of them—the flavors were very different from those in the Monster World, but they were edible, so she took them anyway. On the counters, she found more baskets full of cookies and the requested scones. By the time Becca was finished, every pocket of her backpack was stuffed. It had become quite bulky with so many goodies and supplies. As an afterthought, she took a frying pan, too. The group could certainly use one for cooking.

Light, approaching footsteps reached her ears. It sounded like more than one pair…she armed herself with the frying pan, ready to strike. The intruders were coming ever closer…the staff members must be the inquisitive type! When she was certain of their whereabouts, she jumped into full view, her eyes jam-packed with malice, and raised her weapon—

"Hit me with that, and this is the last raid I go on with you." said Randall in an angry whisper.

"Oh. I thought you were the hotel guys."

"I kinda figured that. Did you find everything?"

"Yeah. And the med kit? Did you get one?" she asked eagerly. When he pulled them out, she sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Bernard will be fine, now…I hope." She reassured herself. "OK, how do we get of here…back through the basement?"

"Nah, the front door is faster. C'mon, I have a good distraction in mind." He swiped an extra apple from the fridge and pulled Becca back to the café's entryway.

"Don't tell me you plan on throwing fruit at those guys. How juvenile." Becca put her hands on her hips.

"Why not? It'll work," he took aim with his upper right arm and threw with all his might. It landed far across the lobby. His newly acquired muscles gave it enough force to smash yet another plant to pieces. This mysterious commotion was enough to lure the janitor and the desk clerks into the corner to investigate. One of the ladies was looking scared, muttering about ghosts in the hotel. Without a word, Randall pulled Becca straight into the entryway and out the front doors. The getaway was fast, easy, and for the most part, quiet.

The old janitor heard something scuttle across the clean carpets. But when he turned to see, he only saw a shadow flicker out of sight. A moment sooner, and he would've noticed the hotel's double doors swinging shut.

…

The monsters squatted on the gravel outside and took cover between some parked cars to take a breather. "Wow. What a thrill!" Becca exclaimed. "Not bad, Boggs. You really are pulling your own weight around here."

Randall shrugged, taking that as a compliment.

They stood after checking that the parking lot was clear of people.

"Hold on," said Becca. "Did you check the lobby for security cameras?"

 _Whoops. If there had been any, there may be trouble later on…Too late now, I guess._ The gang was holding out so deep in the forest, that he doubted there would be a huge amount of danger. The lobby had been lit, but he and Becca had kept in the shadows the whole time…"Don't worry, we'll be safe."

"You'd better be right. Let's get out of here. I wanna catch up on my sleep before heading out in the morning. The sooner Bernard gets help, the better. That first aid book should help us all out, in the long run."

"Yeah," Randall pulled the thing out and leafed through it as they half-ran back towards the forest. "Do you think Suzie and Naomi can set his leg on their own?"

"Good question. They'll probably try. They can't make it worse, can they?" Becca was worried about them being out in the forest all night. That place by the riverbank was in a dangerous part of the forest, and they had limited weapons. "Things couldn't _get_ much worse, really."


	12. Wolves

**Double update. :) Since I'm currently snowed in, I've got plenty of time to post some more chapters. Gotta love these great Canadian winters! Lol. Here is a fun chapter with Naomi trying to deal with her fear/hatred of the wilderness, before we finally learn a bit about Randall's family, left behind in the Monster World. Read and enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven: Wolves

Naomi was getting extremely bored and cranky. This was a typical mood whenever it was her turn to keep watch. She paced, marching across the rocky turf to keep from falling asleep. It wasn't easy…the sound of the river was so calming, and crickets sang from the opposite banks. The moon peeked out from the clouds to give the towering trees a silvery glow. These sights and sounds were the perfect recipe for dozing off…Naomi sighed. If only the group's current troubles could change to match the beauty of the moon.

Bernard still lay unconscious, but she and Suzie had done their best to make him comfortable. One backpack was under his head to make a pillow, and the other propped up his bad leg. They couldn't move his heavy bulk off the riverbank no matter how hard they tried. Flipping him onto his back had been difficult enough. With him out like this, setting his leg could be worth trying.

They had managed to pull it straight, but because of the nauseating sound of bones scraping and crunching against each other, they stopped. Making a splint couldn't be done until the leg was set, but for all they knew, their attempt at setting may have made things worse! So, they resolved to wait until Becca and Randall showed up. Maybe something in a med kit could help.

Suzie had cleared away a patch of rocks so she could lie down and sleep. If not for her snores, Naomi would have dozed off, too. But it was her turn to keep a lookout for animals. She had lit a small fire to ward off anything unwanted; the flames illuminated Bernard's head injury in great detail. The massive purple and black bruise was no better, but didn't look any worse, at least.

Never had Naomi felt so jittery!

"Oh, Mother, I wish you were here! You're a nurse; you'd know how to fix all this." Naomi talked to herself to fill the void of silence. She stopped pacing aimlessly and sat on a boulder to bury her face in her claws. "Even a visit from Britney would be nice right about now. Didn't she say she was going into nursing school? I can't remember." The friendships with her sorority sisters were permanently over now. Life had been so easy and carefree, compared to what was happening out here.

To ease her mind, Naomi fished out some of Suzie's books. The girl seemed to carry them wherever she went. The worn-out, found-in-a-dumpster volumes weren't really Naomi's type of genre, but she read one of the science fiction novels, anyway. To her surprise, she began enjoying it. Reading about the adventures of a time-traveler was far more interesting then pacing around and feeling sorry for herself. After a few chapters, she switched to the joke book. Maybe she could cheer herself up that way.

Some of the corny lines weren't that bad; simple ones like: _'What did the triangle say to the circle?...You're so pointless!'_ made her smile. But after finding a slightly more gruesome one— _'What did the cannibal get when he showed up at the party late?...A cold shoulder.'_ —she put the book down. "Wish I wasn't so squeamish. Maybe I should've gone to nursing school, too. Nothing like facing something to get rid of the fear of it…"

Her train of random thoughts was interrupted by movement from the opposite shores.

It was a mere shadow—actually a couple of shadows. They kept ducking behind bushes or tree trunks for some reason…"Hello? Becca, Randall…?" Naomi called warily. Her inner sense of danger told her otherwise; all her instincts said to stay away.

She inhaled sharply as a wolf's muzzle crept into the moonlight.

Further to the left was another one, and yet another on the right.

"Oh, lovely," Naomi shuddered and took an involuntary step back. Her words may have been sarcastic, but in a way they were also true. The creatures really were lovely, with their grey coats gleaming with soft silvery tones. They moved gracefully and not a single paw made a sound on the grass. But their steps were slow and cunning…their eyes narrowed and focused on the strange encampment across the river. Since the water here was shallow, crossing it would be no problem.

Naomi counted the scouting canines—the party was very small for a pack. Three of them against one of her…"Suzie, wake up!" she half shouted, remaining rooted to the spot.

But the snoring girl did not even stir.

" _Suzanne McKeen_ , if you don't get up _now_ —" but she cut off the sentence as the lead wolf growled low at the volume.

She knew nothing about wolves! What was she supposed to do?! Run? Stand her ground? Act ferocious?

The other two wolves had spread out to the right and left, forming a wide circle. They appeared to be licking their jaws; maybe they hadn't eaten in a while, or maybe they were just investigating the camp? Naomi doubted they had ever come across monsters before. What were they doing? The lead had leapt onto a log in the middle of the river. He wasn't moving; just staring at Naomi curiously, who had decided to try and stand her ground—unless she fainted in fear.

She planted her feet, bared her fangs, and let out the most terrifying, snarling hiss she could muster. She lit up her three eyes to make them burn red in the dark. With the campfire's glow in the background, the tall purple monster appeared quite impressive.

The lead wolf stumbled back in confusion, but did not flee. This new type of prey was very interesting. He growled with the fur on his neck standing up. The other two began closing in…not too close, though. Having never encountered prey quite like this before, they didn't seem too sure what to do.

" _Shoo_! Get away!" Naomi found her voice and grabbed some rocks. She chucked them as hard as she could. She was not aiming to hurt them—such a barbaric act was beneath her. The rocks startled the animals and one of them backed off with a yelp. Another had crept right up to the very edge of camp, so Naomi threw more rocks and shouted again. This time, the tactic failed. He was a braver soul and not so easily driven off.

Why didn't Suzie wake up? That girl could sleep through an earthquake!

Time for drastic measures…Naomi tried something else: she breathed a slender jet of flame. Its heat never singed the wolves' fur, but the blasts of fire did force one to huddle back towards the leader. She stood in a strong fighter's stance, refusing to move. " _Shoo_! Get out of here, you dogs!" she inhaled again, ready to breathe more fire.

The two smaller ones were quiet now, but the leader bared his teeth. He was looking not-so-sure about this 'easy' herd of prey now.

Naomi glowered to send out a larger breath of flame. She yelled unintelligibly and took a step forward in what she hoped was a threatening way.

Slowly, the pack backed off. At her final breath, the smaller ones actually turned tail to scamper back into the shadows of the forest. The leader was the last to leave, deciding that this herd was not worth the effort.

Naomi jumped around in circles ecstatically. "It worked!" Oh, if only her ex-sorority sisters could see her now. This felt better than winning a thousand scare contests! In her nervousness, beads of sweat had formed on her skin. She paused to wipe them from her forehead and went on grinning triumphantly. "Who says I can't be useful in the forest?" she looked over her shoulder at Bernard and Suzie—neither had even stirred from their slumber. Suzie's snoring remained nice and steady, and Bernard's chest moved up and down as he breathed.

" _Really?_ No one saw that?!" Naomi's eyes gleamed red in annoyance. "You guys had better be awake the next time I defend you!" she resumed her patrolling in case the pack showed up again. Each stride now bore a new sense confidence. What an exciting night this was turning out to be!

…

The whole gang reunited at noon the following day. Becca and Randall had dragged as much from the camp as they could carry, loading up multiple backpacks for travelling. The wait had been agonizing for the others waiting at the river. Bernard was still motionless, which was very disquieting. He must've hit his head harder than they thought.

Scattered about the riverbank was the disassembled camp: tent poles, old sheets as well as new ones, whittled bowls and cups, hides, weapons, the frying pan, and all sorts of collected knickknacks. With the arrival of the café food, the entire party had a sweet meal of apples and oranges. The baked goods they decided to save for when Bernard was awake and alert.

Naomi was recounting her fiasco with the wolves to Suzie. She was so pleased with herself that some details ended up exaggerated, such as the part when a wolf leapt clear over her head and she was forced to so a somersault to get out of its way.

"Look, I believe the wolves were here," said Suzie honestly. "But I don't believe you fought them, and I don't believe you did a quadruple backflip like in a martial arts movie."

"OK, so I made that part up. But I _did_ scare them off!"

While she retold the tale in a more truthful manner, Becca and Randall had the med kit open and were consulting the first aid book on what to do about Bernard. There wasn't much to do about his ribs; after further examining them, they realized the breaks weren't too bad. They might have to do the healing on their own. For the leg, things were more complicated. Bernard had very short, stocky legs, and it took a long time until the bones were properly shifted back into place. To make a splint, tent poles were used, and bandages from a sheet torn into strips.

"Doesn't this thing have any advice about head injuries?" Becca flipped through the guide.

"Not much. It doesn't seem like his skull is broken, though," said Randall as he checked the bandages on Bernard's head. "Guess all we can do is wait."

"Now I really wish I had taken more of that first aid course. Fear Co. was offering one when I was banished. A lot of factories do that, I think…Is anyone in your family a doctor, by any chance?" she asked seriously, trying to catch Randall off-guard.

Randall was still reluctant to discuss them. _Why won't you stop bugging me about them?_ But he answered while pointing at Bernard's wounds. "Yes, actually, but not this kind of doctor. Will you drop the questions, already?"

Becca silently cursed in frustration. She changed the subject. "Oh, Suzie, I forgot. I found this in the hotel," she fetched the nature book from her pack. "You're welcome."

"Don't be rude, Becca," Suzie looked at the table of contents and her face lit up. "Oh, this is perfect! It's like a dictionary about the local plants and wildlife. This could help with our foraging. Especially way out here."

"Does it have anything in there about wolves?" Naomi read over Suzie's shoulder.

Randall got to work at clearing away more rocks to form a more comfortable campsite. The gang had to stay right here it seemed, for Bernard's sake. It was easier than trying to haul him around on a make-shift stretcher. Randall had a few ideas on how to make this riverbank more livable. For starters, they should build some lean-tos out of branches and foliage; it was the only way to get some shelter, for this new campsite was very exposed. On a plus side, there was an ever-flowing fresh water source right at their feet. But on the other hand, they were from any kind of civilization. That meant no supply raids. After listening to Naomi, he found himself half-believing the wolf encounter. If this area of forest was wolf territory, the group would have to be on guard constantly.

He unloaded four armfuls of rocks down at the river's edge. Squinting up at the tall pine trees, he realized just how precarious a predicament this was: Bernard injured and they were out in the middle of one of the wildest parts of Yellowstone. Things were pretty bad.

 _Guess we'll be roughing it for a while…_


	13. A Few Confessions

Chapter Twelve: A Few Confessions

The monsters' time by the wild river would indeed be tough, just as Randall predicted.

All the supplies were carefully rationed out to last as long as possible, for no human campgrounds or lodges were within miles of here. They couldn't very well go supply raiding if no encampments were nearby. The forest was thick with wildlife, and the camp was very out-in-the-open. The clouds threatened to give downpours of summer rain, adding to their shelter problem. This was a very worrying time. With Bernard unable to be moved with his broken bones, the group was definitely stuck out here.

It was another whole day until he regained consciousness.

By then, much of the area had been cleared of rocks to make it more comfortable. Randall came up with the idea of building a lean-to shelter out of branches bound together with a torn-up bed sheet; crude, but effective. The lean-to roof ended up being ten feet long and, when propped up on an angle, there was enough room underneath to shelter three monsters. One monster would always be up on watch duty, and Randall still preferred to sleep safely up in a tree.

The first thing Bernard noticed when he woke up was the angled roof of branches over his head. "What in the world?...looks like you've all been busy."

No one had noticed him wake up, and right away, they all rushed over to explain what had happened during his coma. They told everything from the great search, to the hotel's infiltration and even Naomi's somewhat far-fetched encounter with the wolves. Bernard couldn't sit up at all and had a pounding headache, so he kept his head flat on the ground while the others talked. The more aware he became, the more conscious he was of the extreme pain in his right leg.

"I did break that leg pretty badly once before, when I was a kid," he admitted after Becca was done explaining of his injuries. "Who knows if it will ever be the same?" He sighed and grimaced. The concussion seemed to have affected his memory, for he couldn't recall how he had ended up here. "Last thing I remember was…um…running away from the hotel complex, I think…Becca, did that actually happen?"

"Yes. Boy, that bump must've been hard! At least the bruising has gone down."

"How long have I been out?"

"About five days," said Randall. "And we can't go anywhere until you can walk."

…

The first week by the river was difficult for Bernard. A never-ending headache kept him asleep for hours at a time, food and water had to be brought to him, and it even hurt to breathe as his ribs began their healing process. Someone was always with him in the campsite, for fear of wolves showing up again. During his time awake, he was excessively bored; being stuck on your back all day was a challenge, and he read Suzie's books cover to cover. To Randall's dismay, the man began memorizing lines out of the joke book.

One day, as Randall sat high up on a branch making new arrows, Bernard called up, "Randall, as long as you're up there, how do you attract a squirrel?"

"Do I have to answer that?" He finished attaching an arrowhead.

"Climb the tree and act like a nut!"

"…hilarious." Randall muttered with sarcasm.

…

The next week went by more smoothly with each passing day. Soon, Bernard's ribs had patched up enough to allow him to sit up, and he helped with a few chores. Nothing fancy, really; only basic things like skinning small animals to eat, or sorting out foraged food and greens that the others brought into camp.

Becca had taken over the fishing. Either she swam around in the river, or made the short trek up to the lake. It was a small body of water, only a little further upstream. Finding it had been a stroke of great fortune and Becca always returned with a fresh catch.

Suzie studied the nature guide diligently and was becoming quite the expert on identifying non-deadly plants and fungi. The group's diet was becoming far more varied thanks to that book. It was amazing that her hobby of reading was proving to be handy out here in the woods.

When the group was more settled, Randall and Naomi took it upon themselves to scout out a few miles in search for signs of the wolf pack. Unfortunately, they found them: tufts of silvery-grey fur on the bushes, a few tracks, and the remains of animal carcasses. One time, faint howling could be heard, echoing through the forest. Randall couldn't exactly picture Naomi fighting such predators off, but the howling fully convinced him of her tale.

The two of them were always on the lookout for predators now. A few furry wolf faces had been spotted lately. It was a miracle that none of the canines came close to the campsite; Naomi's fire-breathing and Randall's slingshot kept them at bay. Nothing in the nature guide gave a whole lot of information about the local animals, so the monsters would just have to ward them off and learn on their own.

Never in a thousand years would Randall have expected to give hunting lessons to a member of that prissy, pink sorority. But somehow, Naomi had talked him into teaching her. After only a few bow and arrow lessons, he realized that although she tried hard, she was a hopeless student. She had nearly shot him several times already…how did he get talked into this, exactly? But with wolves in the area, learning could be a matter of life and death. His own hunting strategies could be very primitive; back in the swamps he often killed with a bite to the throat, or strangled prey by using his whole body. When he explained these to Naomi, she made the most horrified face; clearly such murderous ways were beneath her. So it was back to bows and arrows, knife-throwing, and slingshot lessons. For the moment, her fire-breathing seemed to be her most effective defense. That was better than nothing.

One evening, Bernard managed to drag himself over to the fire. Suzie and Becca made sure he kept the splint straight, while Randall and Naomi prepared a dinner of blackberry salad and a few fish, both cooked and uncooked.

"Ouch," Bernard winced when he finally made it over. "I'll say this for the riverside: at least we're not starving out here."

…

By the third week, his ribs had fully healed, and there were not as many headaches as before. All of the bruises had faded as well. But something was definitely wrong with his leg. Already more than half-healed, Bernard found he had trouble wriggling the toes of his foot. He discovered this the day it was deemed safe enough to remove the splint.

"Hmm…could be some sort of nerve damage," Bernard guessed, sitting under the lean-to and comparing the action to the left foot.

"Can you bend your ankle?" Becca asked.

Bernard did so, but the movement was slow and extremely forced. He felt the rest of his leg, focusing on where the break below the knee had occurred. "There's no use doing that, Becca," he said when he noticed her leafing through the first aid book. "I doubt there's anything in there about nerves. It's too late, anyway. The healing is just too far along."

"But can't nerves mend themselves?" Naomi came over. "I remember Mother saying something like that once."

"Sometimes they can. I think it depends on how bad the damage is." He sighed. "All we can do is wait and see."

He gave walking a try a few days later. Despite his legs being weak, and the injured one tender, he was desperate to move around. The campsite was very boring once you were stuck in it for too long, unable to go anywhere. A change of scenery would be welcome for the big red monster, so the group made plans to move the camp up to the lake where Becca fished. It was only a ten minute journey, but when you put together all the supplies, a lean-to shelter, the weapons, and an injured monster, the journey suddenly became much larger. It would take more than one trip to move everything.

Bernard could manage a feeble hobble on a crutch made from a tree branch. Reaching the lake was a challenge, but he did it in the end. He picked out a safe spot near the shore, with only a few trees between the new campsite and the water. So many brambles and bushes were here that everyone pitched in to clear the thicket away with knives.

"Ugh. How horrible…why are we moving only ten minutes away from where we were?" Naomi complained as she worked. She had been full of negativity lately.

"Just for a change of scene, Princess. Seems that wolf victory of yours was short-lived," said Becca from nearby. "I've never heard you whine so much! Cut it out. It's driving us all crazy."

Naomi pouted stiffly and went on working.

Suzie was already building a ring of stones for a campfire, while Randall set up the roof of the lean-to against some tree trunks. Dragging the crude structure all the way up here had been a team effort, but the labor would pay off. If it rained in the future, a shelter would be much appreciated.

Bernard needed to rest his leg, so he did what he could from a seated position on the grass. He was a little more worn out this morning, for today was an exceptionally hot summer day. Naomi wasn't faring so well, either, and wiped sweat from her brow every other minute. The sisters had mixed reactions with sun—they enjoyed it, due to their reptilian halves, but at the same time, their aquatic natures made their scales dry up. Often they had to take a quick dip in the lake before they got too dehydrated.

Meanwhile, Randall loved intense heat like this. He didn't sweat at all, just soaked up the sun to no end. Out of the whole group, he was feeling the most energized and almost cheerful. This summer sun was the best heatwave they had had all year. Once all the chores of moving in were done, he found a couple of boulders down by the lake's edge. The rocks were like fire, burning hot to the touch. So he stretched out to soak it up greedily. After a while, he folded his upper set of arms behind his head, and rested the lower set across his middle. It was about time he had some real, relaxing time to himself. This felt just like the reptilian saunas back in Monstropolis.

"You look happy," came Suzie's meddling voice.

"I am. Don't bother me," he replied bluntly, not opening his eyes.

"Well, the others are on their way over, just so you know…hey, do you know what's not right?"

Randall sighed. Was this some sort of joke? Maybe if he humored her, she'd take a hint and go away. "Left?"

"That's it! You've been reading the joke book, haven't you, Randy?"

"Don't call me that. _Randall_ is just fine."

Suzie stepped into waist-deep water and splashed around to cool off. "Be a sport. Didn't you ever have that nickname? It's kind of obvious to shorten Randall to—" An angry look from him stopped the words in their tracks. "Sorry…What about you, Naomi? Have you ever had a nickname?"

Naomi was drenched in sweat, her lavender hair a frizzy mess, and was about to jump into the water as well. She pouted at the innocent question. "My cousin used to call me Beachball Freckle-Face." Suzie burst out laughing, while Randall suppressed a grin. "It's true! I had freckles and a round head when I was a kid, so Beachball Freckle-Face it was! Quit laughing!"

The monsters spent the rest of the morning either cooling off, or soaking up the heat. At midday, everyone gathered on the grass for a foraged lunch of greens, roots, insects, and blackberries. Bernard used his crutch to hobble over into a shady spot. He had hoped that putting some weight on his leg would restore more feeling, but so far nothing new had happened. He sat with his back to a tree, and tried wriggling his toes again.

Becca had started eating and noticed what he was doing. "Any better, Bernard?"

"No change. At least it healed straight. Let's give it another few weeks, and see what happens."

"'See what happens?' That's no huge comfort," Becca wasn't satisfied with that statement. "Oh, I wish we had a doctor! I bet the authorities never even consider emergencies like this when they banish monsters. How the hell are we supposed to fix things like this?!"

"Calm down and eat your lunch, for goodness' sake! Accidents will happen out here. That first aid book will come in handy in more ways than we could ever imagine. Naomi, have you ever been given any tips from your mother about things like this?"

Naomi crunched on a handful of beetles, licking her lips. "No, I never bothered listening. Trust me; I'm the last monster you'd want to trust with scary stuff like that."

Randall asked curiously. "Who's your mother? Is she a doctor?"

"No, she's a nurse. She works at Svenghouli Hospital; at least she was the last time I saw her. The authorities never let us have a proper goodbye." She grabbed some more beetles to chew angrily. "It was just a quick hug with a few 'I'm sorry's' and 'I'll miss you's,' and then they practically pushed me through the door! No consideration whatsoever…I really miss her."

Becca saw this as the chance she had been waiting for. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, and she asked as casually as possible. "So Randall, who's the doctor in your family? I almost got you to tell me once before, so let's have it."

Randall went tense. The branch he was perched on was low to the ground, making it easy to speak with the group, but he had no wish to speak of this! These personal questions had been getting more numerous ever since the hotel raid. Even talking _about_ his family was not easy…But this would never end until he did. He kept on eating. "If I tell you, will you quit pestering me about it?"

"Sure. I'm just wondering, after all." Here, Bernard, Naomi and Suzie all perked up as well. "So, who's the doctor?"

With a sigh, Randall finally, but reluctantly, admitted. "My father. But he's no medical doctor, if that's what you're all wondering. He's an astrophysicist."

Naomi looked confused. "A what?"

"Astrophysicist. A…scientist who studies the stars," Randall simplified. "He's Dr. Zachariah Boggs; works at the Nosferatu Institute of Astronomy."

Suzie was impressed. "Wow, that sounds fancy. How about the rest of your folks? Are they scientists, too?"

"Well, sort of," said Randall. "My brother has a master's degree in psychology, and studying the mind is a _kind_ of science, I guess. I think his son is about three or four years old by now, and I'm pretty sure he'll get interested in _something_ science-related, too. My mother was a botanist before she died—a plant scientist," Randall added when Naomi looked confused again. "I'm starting to think it runs in our genes…Except for me; I was always more of an inventor, rather than a science-nerd."

There was a little pause as the group processed all this. "Good grief!" Becca was flabbergasted. "What were you doing working as a Scarer? You're in a family of geniuses. With all your techno know-how, you could be an engineer, or an inventor, even."

"Look, my brother is an overachieving brainiac, and my father is the encouraging type with high expectations for both of us. You could say I have a _lot_ to live up to," Randall defended. "Their career choices are not the kind that'll get them noticed. That's why I became a Scarer; to step outside the box. Scaring is the most coveted job that everyone in the Monster World wants! I graduated top of the program my senior year, and landed a job that my brother will never get, no matter how many textbooks he opens."

"But you're so smart! Becca told me all about the cameras you re-wired in the hotel," said Suzie. "Plus, not everyone knows how to hook up a scream canister to their house. Why put all that know-how to waste?"

Randall frowned, growing tired of this. "I was still successful, wasn't I? Becoming a Scarer is no easy feat."

Naomi nodded in agreement.

Randall went on. "My father didn't exactly approve…said I wasn't living up to 'family standards.' So I just stopped talking to them. It was a good thing Samuel had a kid; it meant more focus on him, and less on me."

"You're an uncle? Aw, that's so sweet!" Naomi gushed. "What's your nephew's name?"

"Rex. Why Sam named him that is beyond me. It makes the kid sound like a dinosaur. So, are we done? Or is there more interrogation?"

"Just one more thing, Randall," said Bernard, quite calmly. "Why is it that your folks have no knowledge of your being here?"

 _Of course; I should've expected this. If I'm going to live with this gang, it was only a matter of time until it came up again._ Randall thought of the day he was literally thrown through that stupid door. Apart from the big blue buffoon, the Cyclops sidekick, and a toddler-aged human kid, not another soul knew of his fate. He wasn't entirely sure if those two would inform the authorities, or even the other factory workers, about what had happened. Even if they had, Randall doubted his family would even care.

Thinking carefully, he thought up a twisted version of the truth for Bernard's question. "I was meddling with scream technology! I think it a far better plan _not_ to tell my brilliant father about stealing scream energy and conducting experiments. Need I say more?" _There. That should keep everyone happy. I've told them. Now maybe they'll drop the subject for good._

Randall made sure his confession fitted in with his false backstory. There was no way anyone could find out what he was really referring to. The scream extractor would forever be a secret…hopefully. If the group learned of it, he'd be kicked out for sure.

Bernard, Naomi, and the sisters could see there was not going to be another word out of him. The girls still looked mighty impressed, though, and began a hushed conversation about what sorts of things an astrophysicist did for a living; the topic would keep them occupied for now.

Bernard joined in the discussion as well, but took a glance over at Randall in a slightly disbelieving way from time to time…

 _Whoops. Maybe I shouldn't have said 'experiments.'_ That one little slip-up might end up being disastrous. Randall pretended not to notice Bernard's suspicious glances and went on eating blackberries in silence.

 **As mentioned before, this story has gone through a bit of editing the last time I posted it. Before, I gave Randall both a brother and a sister. This time though, he just has a brother. After my editing, I decided that him having only one sibling makes things a bit simpler, with less OCs to keep track of. Two siblings I don't think are necessary, and the story works just as well with only one. Since there are quite a few Monsters fics with Randall having a sister, I decided to stick with the brother. That's probably the biggest change this story has, but it still worked out great. :) **

**Coming up next: Bernard is now suspicious of Randall's past. Plus, with summer soon coming to a close, the group will be forced to move on to new pastures. Still in the survival-story mode, here. If I'm still snowed in, maybe I'll do another double-update. :D**


	14. Plans for Autumn

**Here you go! Another double update! This takes place sometime later, after Bernard's injuries are more or less healed. The gang decides to make plans for a larger move this time around, since it's too dangerous to stay in one place for too long. During these parts, Randall accidentally lets a few things about his past slip, leading some of the others to wonder about his background.**

Chapter Thirteen: Plans for Autumn

With more and more humans trickling into Yellowstone as the summer wound to its end, the misfit group of monsters grew more careful to avoid detection. They had moved their camp multiple times by now, usually staying in wooded areas. But still, it was a challenge. A lot of people were coming into Yellowstone for some late summer camping. The monsters always left their hideout in groups of two, so an extra set of eyes could keep a lookout while in the forest.

One day, Suzie talked Randall into letting her tag along on a hunting trip. "It's not much of a hunting trip," he explained. "I'm just going to check the snare traps."

"C'mon, I promise I won't be any trouble. Besides, Becca never lets me out of her sight these days, and this is a good excuse to get out of camp."

"Fine. Just stay out of the way and be on the lookout. There's always a troupe of tourists on the trails these days."

They went off through the pine forest, armed with bows and arrows just in case.

Without admitting it, Randall was glad it was only Suzie coming along. Out of everyone, she was least likely to pester him with more questions of his family. He had been extremely careful not to bring them up any more. Becca and Naomi were constantly asking of his father and brother, what they were like and other such nonsense. But Bernard seemed more interested in his overall background. This was making Randall edgy…Positive that the man suspected something foul, Randall flat out refused to answer him. His wish to simply forget about the past eventually sank in, and the questions did not come up as often, now.

Yet from the very start, Suzie had been understanding and hadn't said another word about it since. "Brr…what a cold rain this is. I guess summer's finally winding down, huh? Think we should do a raid for coats soon?"

"Soon, yeah," Randall shivered slightly.

Today was a very rainy, wet day, and the daily chores were keeping him from working on a new slingshot design he had in mind. Another project he wanted to start was a sturdier shelter for the group; but they had been moving the camp so often, he hadn't had the chance.

As they marched through the pines, Suzie babbled on about the various plants and fungi they came across. She had been studying the nature guide diligently. Randall only listened half-heartedly. Soon, the subject changed to more interesting things. Once she started talking about her favorite authors of the Monster World, and even some human ones she was becoming aware of, Randall found himself joining the conversation. Really, the girl could be bearable when she got her nose out of that moronic joke book.

"…and I love the style of that H.G. Wells guy. He's the author of the time-traveler book I fished out of that dumpster. Who knew humans had such imaginations? I don't care if I have to raid a hundred houses; I've got to find another one of his books!"

Randall remembered her once saying she had wanted to study literature. "Sounds like that teaching job you had in mind would've suited you."

"Yes…" Suzie trailed off. Her career ambitions would never happen now. "Hey, if you could go back to the Monster World right now, what would you do?"

"Well…since my scaring job is pretty much dead, I'd probably go into something engineering-related."

"I meant something _fun_! For the important stuff, I would finish high school. But for something _fun,_ I would spend a whole day surfing at Lugosi Cove! Becca used to take me there every weekend. She and I are avid surfers. What fun thing would you do?"

Without meaning to, Randall blurted out, "I'd bake a whole cake and eat it."

Suzie laughed so hard she doubled over. "You bake?!"

He grimaced in reluctance. "Don't tell anyone! I'll admit it: I'm a foodie; I like cooking and baking. It was just a hobby…hey, look, we caught something." He pointed up ahead at the simple snare trap, glad the subject was changed. A brown rabbit was caught by its hind legs and struggling to escape. Randall speedily killed it with a single bite—a quick, instant death. To his disappointment, it was not a large catch. "Hmm…this won't last long…enough for one serving each."

"I'll check the other traps. Where'd you plant them, again?"

"That way," he pointed while detangling the rabbit. "The trail is pretty close, so keep your eyes open. Becca will have my head otherwise."

"I know, I know." Suzie walked a short distance away, just out of sight through the trees. Rain dripped down from the needles above, and the pitter-patter drowned out her footsteps completely.

Randall used his teeth to loosen the knots in the rope. Finally, a few precious minutes alone. As glad as he was not to be living by himself anymore, he still enjoyed a tiny bit of solitude now and then. Becca had specifically ordered him to keep a close watch on Suzie. The girl was bound to get lost if left alone for too long, but the other snares were only a stone's throw away. Besides, Suzie had to overcome her bad sense of direction somehow; checking the snares on her own was a start.

A small rumble of thunder came from the sky.

He noticed the rain getting heavier as well. His fronds were now so soaked that they drooped and were getting plastered to his back. _Oh, joy…It had better not storm again. The last one lasted two days!_

He was worried about someone, even himself, becoming ill with all this damp weather. What if they became in need of medicine? There had already been a couple of thunderstorms and none of them pleasant. The group had fled for shelter in rocky areas of the river canyons during the storms, where formations formed a semi-roof over their heads. None of those places were good spots to live, what with the hard, uneven ground.

It was getting harder and harder to find safe spots to camp.

As he wound up the rope, he heard the muffled voices of humans through the trees. By the sounds of it, it was a tour group. They were probably retreating because of this sudden onslaught of heavy rain. _Nothing to worry about._ He decided.

The monsters knew Yellowstone's trails very well by now. Suzie knew well to stay clear of them

Abrupt shouts made Randall jump to his feet. He inadvertently went invisible with surprise. _Great. A screaming tour guide only means one thing…_ He sighed with exasperation as Suzie ran into view, looking panicked. "What did you do?"

"Sorry! I hid, but I think they saw me! Here, we caught another rabbit," she showed him another small brown-furred creature. "That makes two servings for everyone. Time to go!"

"Hold on, they're coming," Randall held her back. Sure enough, some of the more curious people were scrambling their way. Over the sound of the rain, their footsteps were heard squishing through the damp grass. "They really must be snoops if they want to follow monsters through this weather. Quick, under here," He pulled Suzie underneath an overgrown patch of wild bushes. They were thick with leaves and dripping with rain; a perfect hiding spot.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"Quiet! Save the apologizing for later," Randall scolded. He altered his scales to a muddy green and stayed low. Suzie ducked down and held her breath to stay calm.

The footsteps came uncomfortably close. From under the leaves, Randall watched a couple pairs of booted feet walk past. Back in the direction of the hiking trail, the tourists could be heard arguing with inquisitiveness. That made Randall worry…did Suzie just get spotted by _all_ of them?

"You sure you saw it come this way?" said a male voice.

Another man answered. "'Course I saw it come this way! It looked like a—a sea creature, or—"

"Please, there's no time for this. Remember when you swore you saw a Sasquatch? We nearly got fired for abandoning the hikers."

 _So, these two are park rangers_. Randall remained motionless, while Suzie pulled her feelers over her eyes in fear.

"I tell you, I am _not_ seeing things! The thing was blue, scaly, with these weird dreadlock-type things on its head—"

"Ugh. I'm not putting my job on the line again all because of your imagination!" the first ranger began leaving, his boots walking out of sight. "The hikers are rattled enough with the rainstorm and you're not making things any better."

"But what about the—"

"By all means, go on after it. I'm not stopping you." The first ranger slowly trudged out of earshot.

The second one seemed to be debating what to do. Randall crossed all his fingers. _Go on. Get out of here! And don't start looking around._ How he hated dealing with all these people. They really were crowding up the park as of late.

The ranger groaned. "Ugh…Fine. Wait for me…"

Neither monster dared to move until the tourist group had been led away. "Man, that was close," Suzie breathed, and popped her head out of the bushes.

"No thanks to you," said Randall, changing back to purple. "Let's head back to camp, before you really get us in trouble."

"Well, at least I'm not as bad as Naomi! You've gotta admit that."

"True." Randall led the way back into the forest. She did have a point, there. Naomi still had yet to master the basics of keeping quiet, let alone hunting. Though he would admit, Naomi was improving when it came to using the bow and arrows. Her aim was certainly better than it used to be. He picked up the pace, for dark thunderclouds were creeping closer every minute.

"Hey, wait up!" Suzie called after a while. "I've got something to lighten the mood! 'Two pretzels were walking down the street—'"

"You're telling jokes _now_ , of all times?" said Randall, astounded she could recover her cheerfulness so quickly.

"'—one was a-salted!' Get it?"

Randall rolled his eyes. "I'll be glad when you finally recite everything in that book. Then we won't have to hear any more of these."

Suzie looked rather pleased with herself as she hurried to catch up.

…

The monsters' current campsite was nestled deep in the pine woods, hidden beneath a ledge of earth that formed a semi-rain-resistant roof. A river tumbled near, but not too close, for the sound of rushing water was extremely likely to drown out the sound of approaching animals or unwanted hikers. The camp offered plenty of protection so long as the group remained wary of their surroundings. This area of the park had a lot of moose lumbering around; not exactly a threat, but still a bit dangerous. The animals tended to charge when threatened…at least that was what the monsters had read. No one had ever taken down prey so large; even Randall doubted his strong bite-to-the-throat technique would be sufficient.

When Becca saw her very first moose, she had been tempted to use her shotgun.

"Oh, _pleeeeease_ , can I shoot it?" she had begged Bernard. "I haven't pulled a trigger all summer! That moose could feed us for a solid week, no problem!"

" _No_ , Rebecca! You know the rules," Bernard had disciplined. "If park rangers hear gunfire, there's sure to be trouble. So don't bother."

"Ugh! Alright, I won't bother with the shotgun. But I say we should at least try to take one down, somehow."

Randall and Suzie returned to camp to walk in on a similar argument. It appeared to have been going on for a while, for neither Becca nor Bernard noticed them arrive. As autumn was practically here already, she was bringing up the issue more and more.

"…I'm just saying with that limp of yours, and fall coming up, we'll have to work extra hard to find food. So let's go find a moose and _feast_!"

"We're hunting just fine. The elk and deer and more than enough. So _no_ , for the final time, you cannot go all trigger-happy!" Bernard sat by the barren campfire, under the ledge of earth to keep out of the rain. He was in the middle of carving new bowls from a few chunks of wood. "You remember what happened last time you got carried away. Last year, you, Suzie and I were nearly caught by a horde of policemen. They thought we were a crime gang!"

"Grr…" Becca threw her hands in the air. "I don't care what you say, Bernard. The next moose I see is going down. I'm totally shooting it."

"OK. Learn the hard way." Bernard moaned. "You'll be putting our safety at risk, by the way, and we'll have to move the camp _yet again_ …oh, you two are back!" he noticed Randall and Suzie coming up. "Run into any trouble?"

Randall tossed the rabbits onto the ground. "Sort of—"

"Oh my goodness, what happened?" Becca hurried over to hug her sister. She immediately became protective and worried for her. "Were you seen? Please tell me you weren't."

"Relax! It was just a few rangers. We shook them off in no time."

"More rangers? Not again…"

Bernard scratched his feather crest worriedly. "Oh dear. This had gone on long enough. Every other day there is some sort of mishap. This park is just getting more packed…Where's Naomi? I think we should have a meeting about this."

"She went to fetch water, but you know how she dawdles," said Becca. "Want me to go get her?"

"No, I'll go. I should be on my feet, anyway." Bernard put the half-finished bowl aside and got up. He was slightly tentative putting weight on his right leg. Even after the bones had fully healed, the nerve damage didn't seem to be healing properly. There was not much dexterity in the ankle, foot and toe joints, and he now walked with a definite limp. Weather it was permanent or not, no one could say.

As he lumbered off through the brush, Randall got to work skinning the rabbits, and Suzie read silently from her joke book. Every once in a while, she would laugh randomly to herself.

Becca paced impatiently. "Not another day of moving the camp…how many places do you think we've been to in this park, anyway?"

"At least twenty, maybe more," said Randall. "We'd better find a more long-term place soon. Or else we really will be found by someone."

Bernard returned with Naomi, who carried an armful of water bottles. She was interested about the sudden urgency and hurriedly plunked herself down by the campfire. Once they were all seated, Bernard began. "OK, with all the tourists and rangers around, I say it's time to leave Yellowstone. We've been living here for some time, and there is so sign of the park visitors slowing down. It's just getting too dangerous to stay…There have been a lot of close calls already."

Randall gave an inner sigh of relief as he worked on the rabbits. Privately, he had been worried about staying here during the chilly months. By reading up the park's brochures, the colder seasons could get a lot chillier in these parts then he preferred. Cold weather did not agree with him in the slightest. Often during winters in Monstropolis, he would go through days of having little to no energy, and his blood would feel like ice coursing through his veins. Staying outdoors in a snowy Yellowstone Park would be suicide.

Bernard rummaged through a knapsack and pulled out his stockpile of maps, collected over his years of travelling. "So, I say we move on to our next destination. What do you all say?"

Without hesitation, Naomi answered. "Hell, yes! I'm sick of traipsing around in the woods, anyway."

"Sure. Why not?" said Becca. "We've been in this park for too long. That only increases our chances of being found, anyway. Going somewhere new will make things more interesting, too."

Randall nodded. What a relief! For him, someplace with a perpetual warm climate was preferable. Returning south was a possibility; after a year in that place, he knew the land pretty well. Over the course of his winter there, he had figured out how to grow his own food. That would be an advantage, having a small garden during the cold seasons. He did not voice his thoughts right away; he wondered exactly what place Bernard had in mind.

"Then let's begin our moving plans. So, a quick vote: if we go north, we'll have to sneak across the border into Canada; not the greatest place to be for winter, but it should be alright for the fall." Bernard pointed to various spots on the large map, which contained both Canada and the United States. "West brings us towards the coast, and east might bring us out to some countryside. South is basically heading back the way we came. My vote is to head east."

The others all hovered over the map to think for a moment.

 _Well, the country seems like a good place. Any farmlands could give us whatever we need to survive._ Randall thought. He did not know if autumn became very cold in that part of the country, which was a bit worrying. But of course he would never admit this to the group. If he could take down alligators and full-grown elk with a single bite, he could handle a little chilly weather! "I vote east, as well." He announced.

"No way! Let's go to the coastline!" Naomi protested. "I know it's a bit more populated, but I'm sure we can stay hidden at the coast as long as we're careful."

Becca voiced her opinion. "I vote south. At least we're somewhat familiar with the land there, and we'd know what to expect."

Now, the votes counted two against one and one. Everybody looked at Suzie.

"Ugh…caught in the middle again…" she mumbled. "well…er…I don't really want to go into Canada at this time of the year. It's cold up there! So I think…east. We haven't really lived out there before. It'll be different."

Naomi groaned and collapsed on her back in frustration. "No one will _ever_ want to go back to the beaches."

"OK, majority rules." Bernard summed up. "East it is. What about somewhere in the Midwest? Close to the great Lakes, perhaps."

"Hold on, do you realize what you're suggesting?" interrupted Becca. "You want to go out travelling on that leg of yours?"

"The limp isn't that bad, and it's not getting any worse. Walking may help it a little…or if you really don't want me to walk, how about you hotwire a few cars for us, Randall?"

"I've got a better idea, actually. What if we hitched a ride?" Randall remained quite relaxed when the others got mixed reactions about this.

Becca was the first to respond. With plenty of sarcasm. "Sure. I'm all for standing on a highway in broad daylight, sticking out my thumb for some crazy person to pick us up."

"Don't be rude, Becca," scolded Suzie. "So, Randall, what's your idea?"

"Hear me out," Randall went on. "I'm thinking of a big rig. They drive all over the place, right? If we stow away on the right one, we could cross a few states in, what, a day? Maybe less?" That seemed to get everybody thinking. With no one saying anything, he continued. "With Bernard's limp, travelling by foot will take forever. Stowing away could save weeks of travel. It'll be easy to sneak into the back of a delivery truck, trust me. All that needs to be done is a bit of snooping and eavesdropping to find out where one is headed. "

His plan would be child's play. He waited for a conflict of some kind, all while working on the rabbit skin. "Well? Opinions, anyone?"

"It's something to consider…" Bernard trailed off. "It's risky, though. The chances of getting caught are high."

"Sounds exciting!" Suzie grinned. "I love it. It's just like a spy mission." Nobody else shared her enthusiasm.

Becca rubbed the fins on her head in thought, biting her lip, and Naomi couldn't make up her mind at all. Bernard seemed undecided as well. He took a moment to try and wriggle his toes without much success. Ever since the accident, he hadn't been able to help much with the hunting and foraging. "Busting up this leg has taken a toll on all of us. Travelling will be harder from here on out…let's give the idea a little more thought, Randall. A scheme like that needs careful planning…But no matter what happens, we need to move out closer to a town. It'll mean better supply raids and all that."

"And hopefully better food," said Naomi. "I wish we had more of those scones from the hotel. I think I'll go along with this idea, too. Sorry Bernard, you're outnumbered on this," she then turned to Randall. "This is your idea, Genius, so it's up to you. Just don't scheme up anything that'll land us in hot water."

Randall nodded, confident he could concoct a fool-proof plot. There shouldn't be too many complications… _It's all up to me, huh? Alright. I'll find us a ride heading east. We can't stay in Yellowstone forever, can we?_

…

Randall decided to undertake the most important part of the task alone. There was so much sneaking involved that if you weren't invisible, you were bound to get caught. He made his way through the parking lot, determined to make this idea work. It couldn't be that hard to find a big rig that was heading east, right?

It had been several days since he proposed the plan. Since then, Bernard had directed the group beyond Yellowstone's boundaries, out to a highway motel that seemed to double as a truck stop. The short trip had taken far longer than anyone expected because of his bad leg. This was proof that he still needed time to heal and that hitching a ride may be a wise idea after all.

Bernard, Naomi, and the sisters were waiting patiently not far away in the forest. Randall had the feeling they were peering out into the lot, watching him. But it was no use doing that, of course. Even if he weren't invisible, the darkness of night would hide him just as well.

"OK, let's see…" he talked to himself. "Gotta find a truck, gotta find a truck…there must be something here!"

He had examined each vehicle carefully, looking at license plates, and peering through the windshields. What he was searching for were clues as to where each truck was going. So far, his luck had been dry. What he decided to do next was break into each driver's seat to find a schedule of some kind. This was problematic, though. At one of the huge hunks of metal, he tried to pick the lock, but instead set off a blaring alarm.

"Yikes…didn't think of that." Randall leapt back and crawled underneath the truck. "Cars were a hell of a lot easier than _this_."

The siren-like alarm made him cover his ears. From under the truck, he heard a slamming door coming from the motel. It was impossible to hear anything else with the noise blaring in his head, but he saw a pair of feet come into view, and the racket quickly shut off. A grumbling voice was then heard muttering in annoyance.

Randall remained invisible as a precaution, in case the man started searching for car thieves. "Picking the cabins' locks won't do any good," he realized. "An alarm will only be triggered again. I bet every truck has one."

The trucker's feet walked around the perimeter of the vehicle, checking all sides for signs of danger or a break-in. His grizzled face suddenly appeared when he looked underneath…but he saw nothing and moved on.

Randall drummed his fingers on the ground, frustrated. He could figure this out…the crickets chirping around under here sure were annoying! He had to think!

A set of glaring headlights drove into the parking lot to join the ranks. Its engine roared so loudly that Randall peeked out to watch. Nothing else in this lot was giving him any breaks. What a monstrosity! It was the biggest one in the lot, now. It stretched on for forever, and was more like a warehouse on wheels. The headlights blinded him terribly. The big rig maneuvered around the lot for a time before settling on an extra-long spot at the end of the lot. Its lights stayed lit, illuminating everything, and the engine kept on running.

This could be his chance. Without hesitation, Randall crawled off on all eights. He reached a good vantage point under a vehicle that was parked right next to the newcomers. He read the side of the big rig's company paint job: 'Checker Movers: It's Your Move!'

"A moving van. Sounds promising…stupid slogan, though." He then realized what he had been doing all this time. "You're doing it again, Randall. Quit talking to yourself!"

The rig's headlights faded as the rumbling engine died. Randall squinted with all his might through the darkness—oh, how he wished for glasses, sometimes. It was difficult to tell how many people were inside the driver's cabin. Staying low and hidden, he listened to what was happening: the truckers seemed to be in a small argument…

"…that's the last time I let you navigate," said a man's voice as he slammed the driver's side door.

"Hey, at least we're back on track, right? Even with a broken GPS, I got us here, right?" said another man.

Randall heard their feet crunch onto the gravel. _C'mon, give me some information, here!_ With a pang of joy, he realized neither man had locked the doors. He went on listening as they walked towards the motel for a break.

"…and now we're almost a whole day behind schedule!" the first man was finishing.

"Relax. We'll get there, late or not."

" _Early_ would be better, you know. If you hadn't gotten us lost, we'd be half way to Ohio by now…or even there, already!"

"How 'bout we just get an early start in the morning? I'm thinking sunrise, crack of dawn, we're outta here!"

The conversation carried on, but the words were now too far away to hear. That didn't matter. Randall had all the info he needed. He gave a sly smirk. "Ohio, huh? That's only a couple states east of here…I think." A truck carrying a whole house-worth of supplies would make an excellent ride.

Still invisible, he crawled to the back end of the truck. The simple screwdrivers may not be enough to pick the locks…he grumbled upon seeing the enormous latches and locking mechanisms; a bit too sturdy for his liking. The larger hunting knives might be able to take care of them, no problem. But they were tucked away in the backpacks…

So he retreated back to the forest to fetch the group.

…

They had to go around the motel's outskirts through the trees to stay hidden. As usual, Naomi complained about the extra footwork. "Can't we just hide between all those cars? This is taking forever!"

"Can it, Princess. This is a hell of a lot safer then strolling through a lit parking lot." Becca said fiercely.

The entire gang was loaded up with tent supplies, weapons, every bit of gear, and enough food and water to last about a day. Their backpacks rattled dangerously, but it was hard to avoid that. There was no telling how long they would be travelling, and it never hurt to be prepared. Randall was in the lead, and finished telling all he had overheard.

"Excellent work," Bernard praised, limping at the back of the line on his crutch. By the tone in his voice, it was easy to see he still wasn't sure of this plan one hundred percent. "My leg really needs a rest after all this hiking."

"I just want a safe place to sleep for once," said Becca. "Maybe this truck has a sofa inside."

"Oh! Imagine sitting on furniture again!" Suzie stared dreamily at the night sky.

Randall was pleased his crazy stowaway idea was being well-received by now. But there were still things to take care of, first. "It's hardly time to celebrate yet. We still need to break into the thing!"

"Won't the alarm be set off?" asked Suzie.

"Nah. Those idiots didn't even lock the driver's cabin. The trailer of this thing is locked up too tightly to even bother installing one, anyway."

The monsters reached the moving truck without incident. The bolted door was the final obstacle; overcome it, and they had an easy ride from here on out. It was their ticket to a new place to live.

Becca whistled at the sight of the tall truck. "Wow, this thing is huge. Any more bright ideas, Genius?" she looked at Randall. "You're good with mechanics, so do you know how to break open this monstrosity of a door?"

Bernard took charge again. "You and Suzie keep watch. This could take a few minutes." He pulled out two of the largest hunting knives and gave one to Randall.

"What am I? Useless?" Naomi crossed her arms. The sisters were both armed with a pistol, and she reached for an extra one sticking out of a pocket in Becca's backpack.

Becca shooed her off. "Don't even think about it! Remember how you nearly got us caught in the city? All because you played with firearms."

Naomi pouted and settled on the frying pan for a weapon. She joined in keeping a lookout as well.

Randall and Bernard worked carefully on the locks. There were only two, but both were very cumbersome. By removing the locks completely, the truckers may notice something was amiss. And the last thing they needed was to be shut tight inside this thing without hope of ever escaping. Randall would make sure such a thing did not happen. If everything were repositioned correctly, but not locked, the truckers would never know the difference. He disassembled the lock he was working on and carefully rearranged it on the latch.

Bernard couldn't quite pick the lock, and was about to snap it in two with his bare hands. But in the end, he managed with only the knife. "OK, slowly, now," he whispered. They slid the door up very discreetly. Or as discreetly as possible with all its creaking and shuddering.

"Ugh. As if things weren't stressful enough! Go on, Suzie, get in," Becca gently pushed her sister forward when the opening was big enough. She took a glance at Randall before climbing in herself. "By the way, Genius, if those truckers catch us during this little adventure, I'm going to blame you entirely. Just so you know."

"Rebecca, _in_!" Bernard was losing his patience. "We're wasting time."

Naomi was next. She practically jumped in, glad to take a break from all the walking.

"This is the most insane thing we've ever done. I love it." Suzie's voice echoed from inside.

"It sure is," said Bernard. As he and Randall repositioned the locks and latches, he said to him very seriously, "Alright, Randall, I don't know what you were thinking when you came up with this scheme, but now that it's happening, know this: I'm trusting you to keep watch and to get us there in one piece."

Of course. Randall was the only one who could peek under the door, without being spotted. Keeping the truckers unaware of their new stowaways was his responsibility now. He flinched at Bernard's stern, pressing stare. He didn't like it. Bernard suspected something…he was sure of it! Maybe this was all a little test, to see just how loyal he was to the group of survivors. _I'll show him. If I pass, he'll never question me again._

In response to Bernard's statement, Randall nodded bluntly. "Nothing will go wrong. I swear."

That didn't seem to put Bernard at ease. His stern glare remained solid, even as he climbed into the moving truck and out of sight.

Randall breathed to calm himself. _It's all good. Everything's fine…good thing this trip is short. We'll be in the countryside by tomorrow. That'll prove where my loyalties lie…and the past will stay secret._

He crawled inside and left the sliding door open just a crack. It was up to him to keep watch. This was a good shelter for the night, and come dawn, the real trip would start.


	15. Stowaways in a Strange Land

Chapter Fourteen: Stowaways in a Strange Land

Before settling down for the night, everyone pitched in to do some raiding. This unusual spot was the most fortuitous place they had ever camped in.

Randall remained close to the truck's door; after all, he had to keep watch. Although it was very late, and the truckers were unlikely to return for some time, it never hurt to be careful. If he was able to keep the group safe, Bernard would finally have a bit more trust in him.

He explored the boxes closest to the door, but didn't find anything useful; only a couple of packed up cushions and house lamps. He made the best of it, though, and made a cushiony spot to rest on. A bizarre discovery was made, however. When he lay down to get comfortable, he found out he just couldn't! The cushions were soft, squishy, and perfect for sleeping on, but it was impossible to get relaxed. He tossed them aside in frustration and instead pushed over a couple of large boxes to lounge on. _Guess I've gotten used to sleeping in trees._ The roughness of the cardboard was the closest thing to a tree branch in here. He kept an eye at the door while watching the other monsters' progress.

It truly was a maze of towers and furniture in here. Bernard had a single flashlight lit (stolen from a ranger station some time ago.) The light flickered about eerily to illuminate everything and cast odd shadows on the walls. The monsters' footsteps and voices echoed metallically. Bernard normally would have advised them all to keep quiet, but even he was becoming enthusiastic with this treasure trove of supplies. He was busy pushing box towers around to make more room. The large sofa seemed big enough to accommodate him, and he was determined to reach it. After several minutes, he cleared a path and lay down in luxury. "Ahh…so this is what furniture is like…after twelve years, one tends to forget how nice it is," He stretched out his bad leg and began rummaging through smaller boxes while sitting there. "Don't leave any corner unturned. You never know what may be in here for us to use."

Over in her own corner, Naomi had discovered a box of combs, brushes, and other beauty supplies. Right away, she dug out a hand-held mirror to admire herself vainly. The dirt-smudged, unkempt reflection didn't please her and she used a comb to try and detangle her hair. She completely forgot about searching for useful supplies, like she was supposed to be doing.

Suzie was in the midst of a pile of cookware and kitchen supplies. "Cool! This'll be handy." she observed, holding up a huge meat clever. An empty bookcase caught her eye and she climbed over the cardboard towers to reach it. Her curiosity paid off, for there were several boxes of books ripe for the choosing. She gasped in delight and began digging through them.

"Hey, look! Ammo!" Becca announced, having broken into a locked, extremely heavy-duty metal box. "I love these humans, whoever they are. They must be into fishing, too. There's a whole bunch of nets in here. Think you can use them, Bernard?"

"Sure. Pack them up. Keep an eye out for coats, everyone. They'll come in handy when it gets cold outside."

Randall pondered, drumming his fingers on the box he was lounging on. The problem of cold weather was coming back to haunt him. Sure, there were bound to be coats and blankets in this moving van somewhere, but that wouldn't be enough. If the Midwest was prone to chilly autumns and snowy winters, then he'd be in trouble. The rest of the gang seemed to have forgotten that he was a full-reptilian monster. A cold-blooded _reptile_! Winter was his least favorite season; whenever it got too cold, his energy levels were so low it was only through sheer willpower that he was able to walk.

 _I could just point the problem out…no. The plan's already in motion. I'm not about to be the weak link around here._ Ever since being banished, Randall was intent on preserving what dignity he had. He had no plans to inform the others of his preference for warm weather. He glanced over at Becca and Suzie, who were showing each other what they had found so far. Randall knew the sisters had not-so-bad reactions when it came to extreme heat and cold. It was something to do with them being only part-reptilian. He kept on drumming his fingers in thought. If they could put up with the cold, so could he.

Half-hidden in the dim flashlight's glow, Randall pulled out a few more boxes to shift through, just to be useful in this supply raid. After this, he would keep watch until the truckers came back to drive away, unknowingly taking the monsters along. It would also be his job to know when it was time to ditch this ride. Hopefully the great escape off of this rig would happen sometime tomorrow.

 _I'll worry about the cold country air later. First, we have to actually_ get _to the country air!_

…

Unfortunately, Randall drifted into slumber without meaning to. _Whoops…_ he thought as he awoke with a start. He crouched back down to the raised door to peek outside. Good. It was still dark…but by the faint glow of light at the tree line, dawn was fast approaching. The truck hadn't moved; they were still parked in the lot, and the humans had yet to return.

Randall decided to lower the door completely, but quietly, lest he disturb the others. Bernard had sprawled out on the sofa, taking up its entire length. Naomi was asleep in a leather recliner on which she had called dibs. The sisters had pulled out some mattresses and piled them high with duvets and comforters, making forts like a couple of little kids. Suzie's scoring was quiet, but still bounced off the metal walls. Randall thought about waking her to ask her to keep it down; if the truckers heard that, this entire plan would end in disaster before it had even begun!

At least no one would ever know he had drifted off.

This metal container was nearly pitch black, except for that single crack of light. Randall paced for a while out of boredom while his eyes adjusted. Really, he was getting tired of waiting for the sound of human footsteps, crunching on the gravel outside. Those truckers had said they would start their road trip early…

"Randall? You there?" echoed Becca's voice.

"Still here. We should be driving off any time now," he answered through the darkness.

"Good grief, have you been up all night?"

"Yes." He lied. He then pressed his ear against the wall to listen. "Could you shut your sister up, please? I'm trying to hear."

Becca normally would've argued, but it was too early. So she shook Suzie partially awake to end the snoring. Everyone else she left alone, for they were snoozing silently.

How nerve-wracking this was! Randall waited as patiently as he could for what felt like eons. Finally he heard two male voices, chatting as they strolled across the parking lot. He was worried they might notice the door latches had been tempered with, or worse still, open the door. There were plenty of hiding spots in here for monsters, but the gang would be caught anyway. The maze of boxes and furniture wasn't nearly as neat and organized as before, and there was quite the stockpile of supplies gathered.

The men's voices were too muffled to make out any words. Randall concentrated with all his might to hear which way those two were going…the crunching footsteps walked closer and closer…and went straight up the length of the truck towards the driver's cabin. By the tone of their inaudible voices, they still seemed to be in a disagreement, probably over whose turn to was to navigate.

He let out the breath he had been holding. From somewhere in the dark, Becca also sighed in relief. Another risky part of this road trip was past.

Before anyone could say 'good morning,' however, the truck's engine roared impressively—and extremely loudly with lots of vibrations. Suzie jolted upright, now fully awake. Naomi cried out as her dream was interrupted, and Bernard looked around as if he had forgotten why the group was holed up in a moving van.

Randall switched on a flashlight and shone it on their faces. "Better keep your voices down today. It's the only way we'll live to see tomorrow." He dug through his backpack in search of a jar full of mushrooms. "Breakfast, anyone?"

…

The day in the truck ended up being very enjoyable. The loud engine grew more so as the truck picked up speed, meaning they were surely on a highway heading east. With the noise, it seemed safe to talk a few decibels higher.

The monsters passed the time with guessing games, charades, digging through more boxes, building silly forts out of the empty ones, reading and listening to more of Suzie's jokes. The door was lifted open just a few inches, so a bit more light was shed inside. It would later help determine when a safe time to escape this truck was.

Randall stooped to glimpse outside periodically; seeing the landscape rush past and the painted lines of the road zip in and out of sight reassured him that his plan was working. By the end of the day, hopefully, they would be in a new place for the season.

Several times that day, Bernard would direct conversation to him, asking questions about his job back in the Monster World. Randall answered as vaguely as possible. He could tell the man was trying to trick him into spilling more secrets. Well, he was too smart to fall for that! To make things worse, Naomi began pestering him about his family once again. "Please? I'm dying to know more about these monsters. What's your brother's name again? Samuel, right? Is he studying to become a shrink? And what exactly does your father do in his job? I mean, there has to be more to it then star-gazing."

Randall frowned and turned back to face the ever-changing scene at the door. "Quit bugging me! I told you, I don't like talking about them."

"Oh, no, you're not putting it off any longer," Becca overheard and came over. She was in the midst of inspecting the great collection of new ammo. "We've been in the dark long enough. We've told you all about our own folks; now it's your turn."

From the recliner, Suzie looked up from the book she was reading. Bernard was walking about the truck to exercise his leg, while taking inventory of the new supplies. He looked up, interested in listening to this.

Randall went tense. With Bernard listening in, he was ever more hesitant to talk. Anything in the impending conversation could lead to the real reason he was banished in the first place. The fake backstory of his was slowly becoming less convincing, now…If the gang knew the truth, there was no hope in ever gaining their trust again! They would only view him as a criminal.

 _On the other hand, if I say_ nothing _, they'll suspect something even more._ Having only Bernard's wary eye on him was bad enough. If the others all did the same…"Well…" he began, unsure what to do. How did he get into this predicament? Everyone's attention was turned on him. "I expect Sam will have gotten his doctorate by now. Last I heard from him, he was close to finishing the requirements."

"Good for him," remarked Suzie. "It can't be easy, getting one of those. And your father is the star-scientist, isn't he?"

He rolled his eyes, noting Naomi's impressed look. _Here we go again. Another frenzy of praises I don't want to hear_. "Yep. He's good at his job. Hasn't discovered any new galaxies yet, but he keeps saying he will one day. And my brother was always going on about becoming a 'brilliant psycho-analyst,' just to rub it in."

Becca clued in right away. "I take you don't exactly get along?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?...No, I don't. All they do is rub their success in my face. When I told them of _my_ career choice, years ago, you know they practically laughed at me?" Randall scoffed at the long ago memory. "Dad was no help; always the encouraging type and pressuring us…nobody approved of what I planned to do with my life—didn't even care when I went off to college. Not even when I started taking up engineering on the side…So I just stopped talking to them. Good riddance, too. When Sam had a kid, more attention went to him, thank goodness. No more putting up with dumb 'family standards.'" In the dim light, Randall could see the others staring in a way he didn't really like. Turning to look outside to avoid it, he finished up. "Who needs them, anyway? I'm never going to see them again, so what's the point in talking about them? It's better to forget. Trust me."

Suzie was about to ask when was the last time he had even talked to his folks, but thought better of it. His brooding attitude was best left to simmer down. She returned to her book reluctantly.

 _Maybe I shouldn't have used the word 'engineering.' That might bring up more questions later._ No one else was very chatty after that. Randall was pleased about this, but still couldn't relax. Bernard had said nothing, but still had a wary look in his eye.

…

Late that afternoon, the monsters began packing up as much as they could carry. The moving van had provided them with all they could possibly need: from blankets and coats, to firearms, ammo, and fishing gear. Suzie was bringing along a couple of novels, insisting a bit of culture would do their brains some good.

The land outside had shifted and changed many times today. Over the course of the day, the group had passed through town upon town, and across many highways. It was difficult to read the state welcome signs while on the road, and as a result, none of them knew where they were exactly. But it was definitely around Ohio. Peering out at passing cars, nearly all had Ohio license plates. The monsters knew that now was a good time to make a break for it.

At the moment, fresh-aired countryside was rolling by. Many farms had come into view, with plenty of forested land in between. These were unlike any farmlands so far; everything seemed very old-fashioned. The houses, barns and stables—they all were designed very differently from any other farms the monsters had ever seen. But never mind that. The main goal now was to get to the woods.

"It's best to get off this thing right now," Bernard advised after the group had admired the view for a while. "Before we hit the next town. An easy escape may not be possible otherwise."

"You expect us to _jump_ outta here?" Naomi scowled. "I'm not doing that and turning myself into roadkill!"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Bernard's right," Randall hated to admit it. He lifted the door up all the way. Cool air could be felt whizzing around as the truck continued on its journey. "Look, there are no cars behind us, and the woods are pretty close. The speed limit is far less around here then on the main highway, so let's jump now while we have the chance."

"Oh, but we're still moving kinda fast," Suzie observed the truck's speed, and looked down at the hard pavement rushing by. "Jumping is really gonna hurt…"

Randall suddenly got an idea. He retreated back inside to pull out the mattresses. "These'll help. Give me a hand."

"Boy, these humans aren't going to be happy," Becca smirked in amusement. "First we take all their stuff, and then throw more of it into the street."

The plan was to simply clutch the mattresses' edge and fall forward into the road, letting the fall become a more cushioned landing. They needed to act fast, though, before the truckers picked up speed again. Randall and Bernard went first. They stood the mattress on its long side and held it tightly.

Randall secured his knapsack and counted down. "Ready? Three…two…one…now!" They pushed the lifesaver forward, calmly falling along with it. The impact was not exactly fun. It made their teeth rattle and sent a pounding thump through their bodies. But the mattress did its job. Randall and Bernard each got to his feet shaken, but uninjured.

Bernard hurriedly picked up the gear fallen from his backpack. He stared at the truck, which drove further and further away every second. "C'mon, hurry up, all of you!" he mumbled.

The image was a bit blurry, but Randall squinted to see the other monsters fall with a ' _splat_ ' onto the pavement. They all grunted painfully, skinning a few elbows and knees in the process.

"Ow!...never again…" Naomi complained as they reunited. She looked around at all the open space surrounding them. There was far too much of it. And they were in broad daylight, no less! Everyone was thinking along those same lines: five monsters, loaded with weapons and gear, standing on the pavement, was not exactly inconspicuous. Without even speaking, they fled into the grassy ditch on the side of the road. It was a wise move, too; a speeding car drove by quite unexpectedly.

"Is everyone alright?" Bernard checked over the group after the danger had passed.

"Couple o' bruises; nothing we can't handle," said Becca. "Man, that car was close! Let's hit the trees. I hate being so exposed like this."

"You don't think anyone saw us jump from the truck, do you? I mean, anyone could be looking out their windows." Suzie craned her neck to peer over at the nearest farmhouse.

Randall took the lead. "That's just a risk we'll have to rake. C'mon. Stay low and follow me. I can keep a better lookout then anyone. The woods are just down the road."

He crawled along the ditch on all eights, leading them as fast as possible. The group wanted to be fast, for they all wished to get to safety soon. Including him, they were all growing tired, irritable, very hungry, and the sun was in their eyes. It shone so brightly—maybe that was just the aftereffects of being in the darkness of the moving truck for so long. It was making it hard to see if any cars were driving in their direction. Some of the group wanted to try and move the two mattresses along as well, but the big, heavy mattresses were too cumbersome to get very far, and so they were left behind on the side of the road.

All around were signs of autumn. Many of the trees were beginning to show traces of gold and orange leaves, and not nearly as many flowers were in bloom. A definite chill was in the air…this made Randall worry. How long would he be able to withstand it? He became distracted by a flock of birds overhead. They reminded him that some birds went south for the winter, which was what the group could very well end up doing, if need be.

He kept a sharp lookout. He went invisible often to lift his head out of the ditch and look around. This was to check to see if the coast was clear of people, but there was something else he noticed, too. These farmlands looked so…he couldn't find the right word to describe them. Old-fashioned? Nostalgic? Pristine? There were also a lot of horses hanging around, at least two on every property. He also noticed no cars parked in any lane—not a single one.

 _Where exactly are we?_ He vowed to get a better view from the highest tree he could find. He went on ahead, while the others crawled along like war refugees in the grassy ditch.

"Geez, I'm starved," Becca said as she went along. "We _had_ to eat all the food we packed at lunchtime…Should've rationed it out more carefully."

Suzie agreed. "Yeah. I'm so hungry I could swallow my own head," Her face suddenly lit up. "Hey, I just thought of something: 'Do you know what a clock does when it get hungry?'"

Becca groaned. "Fine, I'll humor you…what?"

"'It goes back four seconds.' Get it? For seconds!"

Everyone sighed. Naomi said in a miserable way, "Thanks a lot. Now I'm even hungrier!"

They had to move one at a time when it came to climbing out of the ditch and running into the woods. Sometimes a car would drive by, or a distant figure would come outside through the door of their house. The invisible Randall squinted at a group of people working in a field nearby; he wasn't positive, but he thought they seemed very oddly dressed, as if they had stepped out of time from a century ago. He glanced at them again after every monster was safely hidden behind the trees.

The shady branches had never been more welcoming. From here, everyone peered out at the farm, all noticing the absence of parked cars more than ever. The main road also happened to be the only one paved. What really threw them off guard was the appearance of a horse and buggy going down the street.

"What is going on?" Naomi puzzled, her claws resting on a tree trunk. "Did that jolt off the truck throw us back in time, or something?"

"That would be cool," Suzie thought of a science-fiction plot scenario.

"Hold on, I think I know where we are," Bernard began rummaging in his backpack for the map collection. "I know there's a Midwest map in here somewhere…Randall, could you climb a tree and take a good look around? See if there are any more farms and such."

Confused, but not wanting to put up a fuss, Randall quickly found a tall tree and ascended. Climbing trees felt as natural as breathing by now. It was a welcome change, feeling rough bark against his scales after wallowing in a moving van all day. When he reached the highest branches, he wrapped his body around the trunk to steady himself. There was a slight crosswind up here, and the branches swayed ominously. A thought occurred to him that people down below may be able to spot him, so he blended to a leafy green with some fall-colored splotches; it matched the foliage well enough.

He had to admit, the view up here was great. In all directions spread out huge patches of fields, ribbons of unpaved roads, and all manner of trees in between. The houses and barns visible were all pristine and antiquated. For the first time, Randall finally noticed what the local residents used in place of cars—horses, buggies, and other types of carriages. He had never seen such vehicles before and wasn't at all sure what to make of them. The images were all blurry, but so fascinating!

 _I gotta find something to help me see one of these days._ Why _did I leave those glasses in my locker? Why couldn't I have been wearing them that day?_ He climbed down headfirst, back to the others.

Bernard had laid out a battered map on the ground and the sisters were also leaning over it. Naomi stood nearby, still watching the group of farm-workers out in the field.

Randall decided to have a bit of fun. Hanging by his tail, he dropped upside-down right in front of their faces and hissed ferociously. Everyone yelped in shock and flinched back. He chuckled at their surprised faces and made his report. "It's the same thing everywhere. Nothing but countryside like this in all directions."

"Oh. Well, that explains it," said Bernard. "I think we're in one of the Amish counties."

"Is that where you planned this trip in the first place?" Naomi asked Randall.

"Sounds like a good thing to me," Randall pointed out. "These people live simply, don't they?"

"Yes. No cars, no cameras, and no modern conveniences." Bernard explained. "We may be very close to civilization, but the chances of us having our pictures taken are zero. What luck! And there are plenty of woods to hide out in. Supply raids shouldn't be difficult, now. If we need anything, any of the barns should have what we need. As long as we camp in the woods, we should be fine."

"What about my shotgun?" Becca argued, adjusting the weapon holster. "I want to do some serious hunting!"

"Well, if you absolutely insist on using that thing, we'd better find a place as deep in the woods as possible…but it'll have to be used sparingly, Becca."

"What?! Why?"

"There are a lot of homes in these parts. This wilderness is not exactly remote, and I'm not sure if ammunition will be ripe for the picking in many Amish homes."

Becca grumbled, but saw the reality.

Randall, still hanging upside-down, brought up another important issue. "We should find a water source, too. So, we done? Shall we get going?"

"Yeah, it'll be dark soon. And I'm still hungry!" Suzie hoisted on her backpack.

Bernard nodded and gathered up the map. He would deduce exactly _where_ in Ohio they were later. For now, the troupe of misfit monsters needed to find a place to live. Once their quest was over, he resolved to figure out exactly what that purple lizard was hiding. A few things he had said in the moving truck didn't sound quite right…

 **Dun dun dunnnn. Up next, Bernard figures out exactly what Randall isn't telling them. With a devious, dark past, some of the others aren't quite sure what to think about him now. That's when things start taking a more dramatic turn for the worst.**


	16. Coming Clean

Chapter Fifteen: Coming Clean

A secluded spot in the woods was found, sheltered on all sides by overgrown trees with intertwining branches overhead. No lakes were anywhere near here, which was unfortunate. But the water of a lone creek tasted cool and fresh. It deepened into a pool further downstream, so fishing was a possibility. The nearest farm was about a fifteen minute walk away. During the initial scout of the area, Becca learned it held a chicken coop, a small orchard, and a good-sized barn that could very well be packed full of tools. The fruit trees were apparently baring a crop of apples right now.

"Oh, we have to go pick some!" Suzie praised when Becca returned with this news. "It would be great to have lots of fresh fruit to eat. Can I do it?"

"Well…perhaps. So long as Naomi goes with you, and only after it gets dark. That's the only safe time to go over there."

Suzie saw this as a good compromise and didn't complain.

Before night fell, the monsters needed to scramble and set up camp. No one had had a chance to hunt yet, and not much foraging had been done, so they were all still hungry. To make the most of their time, Bernard gave everyone different tasks to do. Becca was sent out to try and catch something for dinner, and she promised to return successful. (She insisted on bringing along her shotgun as a time-saver.) Suzie and Naomi were to unpack the tents, and start a campfire. They would also begin construction on a lean-to shelter. It was doubtful such a big project would be finished by that night, but it was worth starting. To Randall's dismay, he was to join Bernard in investigating downstream, where there could be fish swimming around, ready to become an easy meal.

Worried, he tried to manipulate a way out of this. "I could always head down to the farm to kill one of those chickens, you know. It'd be easy for me to stay hidden in broad daylight."

"Let Suzie do it. Becca doesn't often let her go on raids, and it's time Suzie started learning. You're coming with me." Bernard sounded firm.

Randall frowned. He considered just disappearing and trekking out to the farm anyway, but didn't. Over the course of these last few months, he had learned to respect the older monster. The man had survived twelve years out here—twelve years while traversing two continents, and on his own for most of those years. It was hard not to gain a respect for that. But that didn't mean Randall wanted to join in a prospective fishing trip!

He had a feeling he was walking straight into an interrogation. Never had his apprehension been so high.

The hike started off pretty normally. Bernard made mediocre small talk about the chilly autumn air, and commented about local birds that flew overhead every now and then. When the creek widened considerably and flickers of fish scales could be spotted, he stopped to unload the fishing net.

Randall waded out a little ways, planning on catching a fish by diving to strike when one swam close enough. It was a job that would require some patience, which he didn't have a lot of.

Meanwhile, Bernard was telling a story about some boating accident back in the Monster World. "…so that was the last time I let Nicholas be in charge of steering. If not for him, the boat never would have beached. He said he triple-checked to avoid the reef, but the accident happened, anyway. My son may be a good fisherman, but I sincerely hope he hired someone else to steer the boat! Or else the business will be ruined for life." Bernard finally untangled the net and cast out into the creek. Quite randomly, he then asked Randall, "I say, is your brother raising your nephew as a single parent? You never mentioned any other family members."

"Samuel _was_ married for a while. I only met his wife once. He ended up getting everything in a bad divorce, apparently, but it was none of my business. Or yours, for that matter." Randall answered coldly, still poised to strike a fish.

"I see. So, are you hiding anything else?"

Randall stiffened. What a clever way to bring up the inevitable. _Great. Now what? Think fast, Randall…think fast…tell a lie!_ The question had caught him off-guard. It was spoken so casually! He had to answer fast. Hesitance was the ingredient to disaster!

"I've told you everything." Was all he came up with.

"Are you sure?" said Bernard with a glower. "You should probably know, Randall, that I raised one of the best liars in Monstropolis, so don't flatter yourself. When Nick was a kid, it was all he ever seemed to do. I can tell when someone is hiding something."

"I don't have to tell you anything! You're not _my_ father; there are some things I'd rather keep to myself. Let's just leave it at that."

"I'll take a guess, then." Bernard felt the net go taught and he reeled in a single fish. "This secret of yours is something to do with why you're out here in the first place, isn't it?"

Randall later cursed himself for reacting the way he did. His abrupt spin to face the older monster gave everything away in an instant.

"Ah-ha, so I am right! Let's hear it, then. What are you hiding from us?"

Randall couldn't resist wondering, "How long have you been suspicious?"

Bernard folded his arms, which seemed easily capable of snapping bones. For the first time, he looked exceptionally fearsome. "Since day one."

 _Uh oh. I'm in trouble._ His worst fear had come true…he was backed into a corner with no way out…he bit his lip and inadvertently faded to a pale, sickly purple. That tended to happen when he became very, very nervous.

Spilling out the truth meant reliving every event: the scream extractor's construction—which was still brilliant, considering he made it with stuff lying around the factory—kidnapping the little girl, conniving with Waternoose, and the rivalries on the Scare Floor that started the entire fiasco. How could he ever explain all that? It was a lot more serious than the rest of the group's reasons for banishment.

The solemn, no-nonsense stare Bernard was giving him was unnerving; just like a parent about to give a kid a strict scolding. How humiliating…

Randall sighed. "Do I get to stay in the group if I tell you?"

"That I cannot promise. Let's hear it first."

 _Thanks. I feel so at ease now._ "OK…where to start…" Randall slumped his shoulders miserably. Now that the subject was underway after all this time, he had to start somewhere…"Well…I guess it all started with the scream energy crisis…"

And so he finally told all.

Everything from the rivalries, to CDA fiascos, to staying up all night trying to locate his runaway test subject; confessing about the scream extractor was the hardest part. Hearing the words come out of his own mouth, Randall was sure he was now being labelled as a cross between an evil scientist and a psycho-criminal.

Bernard hardly interrupted. Only at critical parts, such as when Randall described what the machine was capable of. "That sounds like a torture device!" he accused.

"Well, of course it sounds bad if you say it that way! But the damage was not permanent, I swear. I tested it a couple of times—"

"Tested it? On who?"

Randall cringed. _Shouldn't have said that._ Jeffery Fungus had been the test subject all through the experiments, but he decided not to involve him. Instead he answered, "Just a co-worker who agreed to help. It was all going very smoothly…"

For some reason, Randall left out any names, referring to the workers in the factory hardly at all. He wasn't sure why—perhaps he just didn't want to involve any other parties. This interrogation was already bad enough. By the way the tale was told, he made it sound as if he had acted alone. The way Bernard looked down at him with crossed arms and a death glare was possibly the worst thing to endure. With angler-fish teeth and gorilla-like arms, the man was far more intimidating then Randall's father, yet he stayed forcefully calm throughout the conversation. With each word spoken, every ounce of trust Randall had earned thus far slipped away. He doubted there was much hope of gaining it back by the end of this chat…


	17. An Impending Decision

Chapter Sixteen: An Impending Decision

Suzie and Naomi were busy setting up the new camp. They worked quickly, for the sun sank lower every second. A comfortable place to sleep would be nice when night arrived. Branches to construct a lean-to roof had been gathered, but there was no time to start it, and so the tent poles were brought out. Heavier blankets were used for the tents this time; chilly autumn air tended to sneak up on the monsters at night. Naomi's efforts at making the tent poles stay in place were laughable. The thing collapsed right when the chore was finished and she had to start all over several times. Her eyes lit up red in frustration. Suzie, on the other hand, was feeling quite cheerful. She prepared a campfire, unloaded the gear and assorted weapons, did some foraging, and tied one of the old sheets between some trees to make a hammock. The new camp was beginning to feel very homey.

This clearing was nicely hidden—the surrounding trees grew close together, and the bushes and brambles were thick enough to deter any humans. Hopefully no one would notice the thin trail of smoke from the fire. Fifteen minutes away from the nearest farm was still awfully close, but the monsters were confident this was a safe place to be.

The sun's rays faded to golden-orange tones as it set. Long shadows began stretching across the clearing and there were a lot less bird songs now. The eventful day of travelling was finally winding down.

Suzie kept busy sorting out the foraged food, chatting with Naomi who was still struggling to finish the tents. Suzie expressed her worry over the meager findings. "There isn't much here—maybe a handful of greens each." She looked at the five piles of greens longingly for a moment. "I think I'll have my share now. I gotta have something to eat."

"That seems rather inconsiderate, doesn't it?" Naomi finally secured the last corner of the final tent. "I'm hungry too, but am waiting for the others to get back. Becca promised she'd shoot something, right?"

"Yeah…" Suzie reluctantly put down the leafy greens she had been about to scarf down. "A feast had better be on its way, then."

To pass the time, they began chatting about Naomi's birthday, which was coming up in a few weeks. Such an event was bringing on mixed feeling for her. After all, it would be her first birthday spent in the Human World. Needless to say, her cross mood was not improved the longer they talked about it.

"Normally, I'd be throwing a party loud enough to wake the ten-eyed fellow who lived next door. Mother would have made me a perfect cake with pink frosting and everything!" she sulked and sat cross-legged by the fire. She breathed a few angry flames into it. "But _no_! Instead I'm stuck out here, camping in the woods _forever_!"

"It's no use whining about it," Suzie tried to sound reassuring, but it came out as more of a scold. "We could still have a party. Maybe Randall can raid a bakery or something."

"I'd rather not celebrate. Now, if we had all been cast off into some tropical place, things would be a lot more pleasant. Warm sunshine all year, and no putting up with all these woods. It's getting so cold out!" she shivered as a breeze picked up. "For a birthday present, I want to move someplace nice. Like Hawaii. I don't care if we have to walk all the way."

"It's kinda difficult to _walk_ to Hawaii." Suzie tried not to laugh. She looked around the clearing. The sun still shone gold, and the twilight made the woods quite pretty, if one stopped to notice it. "I think this place is nice enough. The Amish farms around here are sure to have plenty of food and blankets should we need anything. It's a pretty smart place to end up for autumn, if you think about it."

Naomi still continued to sulk.

Wanted to cheer her friend up, Suzie tried again to say something positive. "Your hunting is getting better; you're getting the hang of the bow and arrows."

"Whoop-dee-doo. We'll feast on skewered animals forever."

Suzie was growing tired of all this complaining. "Hey, I'm trying to lighten the mood, here!...oh, I know—'What do you call a guy with a rubber toe?...Roberto.'"

"That is stupid. What kind of joke is that?"

"An awesome one, that's what! Wait, wait, wait—this one is better: 'What's brown and sticky?...a stick!'" She laughed hysterically at her own words.

Naomi stifled a subtle smile, but Suzie saw it. "There, feel better? You should find a hobby, Naomi. Then everything will seem so much better." Suzie shifted through the novels stolen from the moving van. Quite a few plots were of the science-fiction genre. "Want something to read? This Jules Verne guy is a pretty good writer." She offered one to Naomi.

"Fine. It's better than sitting here being bored out of my skull."

They both read in silence until a rustling came from the thick bushes. It was not very worrying; after all, what humans would be hiking in the woods this late? It was only Randall and Bernard, each carrying a couple of freshly-caught fish. The girls noticed their odd behavior immediately. Randall said not a word and looked extremely wary and nervous as he joined them by the fire. Bernard was equally quiet, but seemed very angry about something.

"Hey, what's happened?" Suzie asked curiously. She directed the question to Bernard, who seemed more willing to speak.

"Something rather disturbing has come up." He sounded cool and collected as always, but narrowed his eyes at Randall in a betrayed sort of way.

"What sort of thing?" said Naomi.

"It involves this guy's banishment," Bernard nodded at Randall. "It seems he hasn't been completely honest with us. Where is Becca? You should all hear this; the group may be one member short afterwards."

The faint echo of a gunshot called through the woods. Everyone raised their heads in alarm.

"She's probably that way," Suzie nodded at its source.

" _Why_ , oh why did she take that shotgun? What part of lying low does she not understand?" Bernard groaned.

The others all shrugged, even Randall.

So, Bernard planned to make him confess to the group himself. How degrading…having to admit all he had done to one monster was bad enough. Knowing the others, Becca would very likely threaten to shoot him again, Naomi would be appalled, and Suzie would become aloof and never speak to him again. There would be no way in gaining trust around here… _what am I gonna do?_

He could always make a run for it. Just leave! Head back to Louisiana…but then everything will be as it was before _. I'll be in those swamps for the rest of my life._ True, he was perfectly capable to take care of himself. He had thrived there. But he would only start talking to himself all over again, going crazier by the day.

Randall guessed the group was going to decide his fate. He was so nervous that it was difficult not to disappear automatically or fade to a sickly purple. What to do, what to do?...maybe the others wouldn't react as he imagined. If there was even a _remote_ chance of staying within this group of misfits, dammit, he was going to take it! _Hold on…I can't be starting to_ like _these guys, can I?_ he thought, puzzled. _Nah…I just don't want to go crazy in solitude. That's all._

"Can we at least save it 'till morning?" Suzie was saying. "By the time Becca gets back, it'll be dark, and I'm tired. Not to mention dying of starvation, like everyone else here."

It had been an exhausting day, but Bernard was firm. "No. This is too important to wait. We'll go over it once Becca joins us. C'mon, let's start dinner without her."

"She won't be happy about that," Suzie smiled as she gnawed into a fish like a corncob. It was well worth the wait and the fish was devoured in less than a minute flat.

As fish was Becca's favorite food, she was not pleased when she returned a little later. The shotgun had done its job—a dead badger was slung over her shoulder. "Hey! Next time, wait for me! I like it when we're all having dinner together."

Bernard gathered her over, his face the embodiment of urgency. "Sit down. Randall has a few things to say that I think you'll all find very interesting."

From his spot on the grass, Randall groaned. _Might as well get this over and done with. What will they all say afterwards?_ He would never, ever admit it, but living with this group of outcasts was far more desirable then being alone in a swamp. He didn't want to return to that…

…

All through his confession, the girls were uncharacteristically quiet. They remained brooding, or frowned silently to reflect on the matter—at least for a while.

Late that night, when Bernard, Naomi and Randall were all asleep (either in the tents or half-way up a tree) the sisters quickly discussed it amongst themselves.

"I knew it. I _knew_ there was something fishy about him!" Becca was up, ready to take over for watch duty. "I swear, from the day we met him, there was something he wasn't telling us; I was right. He's no more than a power-hungry, scheming, deceitful _criminal_!"

Suzie was seated on a log, still thoughtful. "But it's still in the past, right?'

"Suzie, _wake up_! This news is bad. He lied to us! And not just a little fib you can shrug off. This is _big_. In the Monster World, the CDA are probably hunting him down for his crimes. I mean, kidnapping human kids just for the sake of getting more power?! What kind of monster _does_ that?! I vote for kicking him out. Let him fend for himself!"

Suzie allowed her sister to rant. She looked up at Randall, asleep on a branch about ten feet off the ground. He was sleeping fitfully, squirming so much that it was a wonder he didn't fall out of the tree. The guy must be having nightmares, for he was shifting random colors in his sleep. During her turns on watch duty, Suzie often noticed this odd occurrence, and guessed it happened during dreams or nightmares.

She noticed Becca was still waiting to hear her opinion about all this. "Well…" she began. "He doesn't seem like a criminal now…and he's proven his worth, hasn't he? I mean—the last few months have been a lot easier, since he joined us."

Becca frowned harder. "Explain."

"The supply raids are always successful now. He's a good hunter, and he's been teaching Naomi and I how to shoot."

The forest green monster was still unconvinced. "Well, _I_ could be teaching you all that! We were getting along just _fine_ before he showed up. I should've shot him when I had the chance back in Louisiana."

"Becca! Don't say such things. You're just mad right now. Naomi agrees with me too. Once Bernard makes up his mind, then we'll figure out what to do about Randall," Suzie stood to walk over to her tent. "I'm gonna get some sleep, OK? Just use your watch duty to simmer down and think about the big picture. Everything he did happened a long time ago. Maybe he's different now."

"I don't think so. After hearing his little story, it's gonna take a lot to get me to trust him again." Becca raged quietly, not wanting to wake the others.

Suzie was about to disappear into her tent, but decided on giving Becca a quick hug. Sometimes a hug helped to cool her temper. It worked a little, for Becca returned it and relaxed. She went on in a still angry, but quieter tone, "I hate all this waiting. Bernard had better make up his mind fast. You go to sleep, OK? I'll wake you and Naomi when it's time for the supply raid."

"Thanks. Goodnight!" Suzie crawled into her tent and was soon snoring softly. All the unexpected events of tonight had nearly pushed the farm's apple orchard out of her mind. Sweet, crunchy fruit for breakfast would hopefully brighten the sour mood around here.

…

At about four o' clock in the morning, Becca kept her word and woke them. "Now remember, be back before dawn. And Naomi, make sure she doesn't wander off, alright?"

"OK, OK, don't worry." Naomi was tired and cranky, and didn't want to go wandering off into an orchard, but begrudgingly got up.

"Stay safe! I'll wait up for you."

"Honestly," Suzie commented a few minutes later, once the campsite was out of earshot. "She never lets me do _anything_ on my own. I love my sister, but you'd think I was still in elementary school."

Naomi yawned, seemingly half-asleep as they walked through the dark shadows of the trees. This wood was not as wild as Wyoming's forests, but still a bit creepy at night. Nocturnal birds and beasts sometimes scuttled by unexpectedly, making the girls jump. The camp was fairly close to human homes, and so the monsters figured dangerous animals were less likely to be around. Still, they remained on edge constantly.

"Didn't Becca say there was a chicken coop at this farm?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I think so," Naomi yawned again. "But I'm not running around to catch chickens this early in the morning."

"Not the chickens; the eggs. It'd be a real, proper breakfast for once. Maybe it'll get Bernard in a good enough mood to consider letting Randall stay in the group."

That got Naomi thinking. She preferred the purple lizard to stick around as well, for he was the only one willing to teach her how to hunt. She had been feeling more useful to the group as of late, with her hunting abilities improving ever so slowly. "When you put it that way…a few eggs couldn't hurt. But don't chickens lay their eggs during the day?"

"I don't know, but it's worth checking. We might have a bit of luck."

The tense atmosphere back at camp was difficult to forget. With the task to occupy them, the two were glad for a distraction.

The farm's orchard was very neat and tidy; an extremely pristine scene in the moonlight, with rows of trees in perfect formation. Crisp, reddish-gold apples peeped out from under every leaf, all so delicious-looking that it made their mouths water. The weird fruit wasn't quite like anything in the Monster World. The group rarely got to taste fresh fruit, and knew apples to be among the sweeter kinds of human foods. Suzie and Naomi vowed to bring back as many as they could carry without breaking their backs.

Suzie very much wanted to lead this mission, and promptly scrambled up the nearest tree. Climbing wasn't her strong suit, but she managed. "You stay there, and I can toss them down."

Naomi kept glancing around nervously, so much so that an apple whacked her in the face from time to time. Being out in the open like this always put her on guard. The trees were spread farther apart then were comfortable; the barn and farmhouse were visible even from here. She picked up the apples she had dropped while eyeing the house. A faint yellow glow flickered in one of the lower windows. "Hey, don't people on farms start their days early?"

"Um…" Suzie trailed off, having not considered that.

"If we're going to check for eggs, we'd better do it now."

Suzie tossed down another apple. "Better idea: you go on to the chicken coop, and I'll finish up here."

"Ugh. I'm not infiltrating a smelly chicken coop full of—"

"Don't start that again. Just go. This is the first supply raid that I get to be in charge of. If it's done well, Becca might let me lead more often."

Naomi went off reluctantly darting from tree to tree towards the house. It was a rather large building, and unfortunately most of the windows looked out over the orchard. A few more lights were on now, but they were quite dim; probably sourced from candles or gas lamps. Naomi tried to breathe easily. Maybe the dim light would keep the people inside from spotting her.

She was lucky not to come across any animals. A cat wouldn't have been so bad, but a dog would mean an instant retreat back to the woods. The monsters were positive at least two dogs lived on this property. One bark from them, and this raid was over.

She made it to the stretch of lawn which lay between the house and the orchard. The barn rose just beyond the house, and she knew the chicken hutch was right beside it; not too far away at all.

But before she could run, a jet of light cut across the ground as a door opened. She ducked behind a tree in alarm. The sound of footsteps rapped on some wooden stairs, followed by shuffling on the grass. Naomi peered out from her hiding spot—which wasn't really all that hidden. It would be easy to spot her from just the right angle.

The stranger was an Amish girl in her teens, carrying a full laundry basket. To the lavender-skinned monster, the sight was very interesting, for she knew little about Amish communities. It was almost like a picture from the past. The tall girl was dressed simply in a plain, long dress and apron, and had a white head covering. Naomi watched to see what she was doing. It wasn't even dawn yet, and people were already waking up!

She decided to wait until the girl had hung every shirt, dress, and pairs of pants on the clothesline. Even from here, she heard a few chickens clucking. "This is a bad idea," she mumbled. There were no places to hide whatsoever once she left the safety of the orchard's shadows. If monsters were sighted here, of all places, the outcome would be more unpredictable then in a city. In a city, it would be straight to a science lab to be studied, but in this community, Naomi was not at all sure what the local folk would do. Maybe there were a few friendly souls about—on second thought, scratch that. The last time a human had actually gotten close to the group, Becca had shot him. The man had refused to keep the monsters' existence a secret. Naomi bit her lip. She had not yet been banished when that event had happened, but knowing Becca's fiery temper, believed every word of it.

The Amish girl gathered up the basket and extra clothespins, and went back inside.

A sudden stroke of brilliance hit Naomi: the clothes would make a good disguise! She was a little taller than the average human, but from a distance in this dim, pre-dawn light, a disguise would help considerably. All in a rush, for fear her mind would change, she swiped a long dress and a head covering from the line. They were a bit damp and wrinkled, but no matter. She pulled them on overtop her red Scream Industries uniform and tucked up her hair to hide it as best she could. "This should work. So long as no one gets too close." With new confidence, she strolled casually out across the lawn.

The coop stank of bird droppings and chicken feed, making her nose wrinkles in disgust. But she opened the pen anyway to investigate. Half of the birds were still sound asleep in their hutches, and the awake ones kept following her around. Maybe they thought she had an early breakfast of feed for them. The bolder birds pecked at her clawed feet, as if sensing they were out of place here.

"Alright! Jackpot!" Naomi smiled after searching through the nests, even lifting up the snoozing chickens to check underneath. She gathered enough to fill the pockets of her dress. "Guess it's never too early to be laying eggs if you're a chicken."

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice spoke from somewhere behind. "Emma? Didn't I see you back in the house?"

 _Uh oh._ Naomi half-turned. An Amish woman—most likely the laundry girl's mother—was standing nearby in the barn's open doorway. A bunch of horse blankets hung on her arms, no doubt to be taken in to be washed. There she stood, staring at the figure in the chicken pen, looking utterly confused.

Being mistaken for someone else wasn't part of Naomi's plan.

"Emma?" the woman took a step closer. The figure suddenly seemed too tall to be her daughter…

Panicked, Naomi did the first thing that popped into her mind: a scare tactic. It was the only way to get away! She lit up her eyes, barred her fangs, and hissed as creepily as she could. Too add to the effect, she raised her claws in an intimidating stance.

The woman was not the screaming type. One instant, her eyes were wide-eyed in pure horror, the next she had keeled over in a dead faint.

"Whew! Close call!" Naomi wiped nervous sweat from her brow. She hated to do that; the woman had seemed so harmless! But it had to be done.

Since the barn doors were open, she took a peek inside for anything useful. A wood-cutting axe on the wall was the first thing to grab her attention. Staying in here longer would have been ideal, but the horses snorted at her presence. Also, the fainted woman was sure to be missed. Someone was bound to come searching for her, and Naomi thought it best to clear out. The woman didn't seem to be hurt, but Naomi couldn't just leave her strewn on the straw-covered ground. She used the horse blanket to form a cushion for her head, and left quickly.

…

Suzie had gathered plenty of apples and was waiting at the edge of the orchard. She was very confused when Naomi scampered into view in an Amish dress. "What on earth…? What are you wearing?"

"A disguise, but it sorta backfired. There were plenty of eggs, by the way, and I found this axe!"

"Cool! Wait, what do you mean by 'backfired?' Were you seen?"

"Don't worry, she fainted. She'll think she dreamed the whole thing."

"I hope you're right," Suzie hoisted on the heavy backpack of apples. "If we're discovered, Becca may take drastic measures again. We told you what she did the last time someone found us. It can't be repeated, it just can't!"

"Relax, we'll be fine! Let's get out of here; we have a breakfast to prepare. Now is not the time to be worrying about humans."

Suzie nodded. "This whole thing with Randall is bothersome enough." She struggled to carry the backpack, so each took hold of a strap and carried it between them on their way back to the woods.

…

Neither said anything about the Amish woman while reporting the supply raid to Becca. The fiery-tempered McKeen sister would have blown a fuse otherwise. They made it sound as if Naomi's disguise had been a mere precaution, while not a single human had been in sight. Becca didn't ask too many questions, thankfully.

In the early hours of dawn, Suzie and Naomi got to work making a feast of a breakfast. Apples were chopped, wild roots and fungi were gathered, and Suzie found a tasty variety of greens that were sure to give the meal some much-needed flare. Having eggs was a godsend, and they were a vital ingredient to make this meal tasty. Their hope was to put Becca and Bernard into such good moods that they would allow Randall to stay.

Randall was the first to awaken to the smell of cooked apples and mushrooms. The frying pan was out and the scent of scrambled eggs wafted around the campsite, too. He slithered down from his branch in silence; glad for the food, but not in the mood to talk. Today was the day he had feared all this time. This breakfast could very well be his last.

"'Morning," greeted Suzie as she dished up food into carved bowls. The purple lizard had dark marks around his eyes; he hadn't slept well. "Boy, you look awful. You were shifting colors a lot in your sleep last night. Bad nightmares?"

"Ugh…yeah. Bad nightmares," said Randall, rubbing his eyes. "So, what's the word? Am I being thrown out or what?"

"Dunno yet." She and Naomi said nothing more, but Randall knew what was going on. The final decision lay with the group's leader and also with Becca, who always had the role of second-in-command. He crossed a few fingers that this would go well.

Later, when everyone was awake and gathered around, not much was spoken about the nice food. The atmosphere was far too tense. Not even the smell of crisp, cooked apples and freshly-made scrambled eggs could deter from it.

Suzie and Naomi cringed with worry when Bernard cleared his throat before even taking a mouthful. "OK, Boggs," he began. "I could tell from the start you were a bit odd, but never imagined anything of this scale. Hearing everything you've admitted to us, you are no more than a devious liar, and too clever for your own good. I'll never be able to trust you again, after hearing of this background of yours."

"Me neither," Becca frowned. "There's a fine line you've crossed."

Randall wasn't sure if he was expected to defend himself, so he filled his mouth with food instead. _This is not going the way I want it to. Why is everyone acting all serious about this? You'd think I had betrayed them or something._ "It's not like I can build another scream extractor out here, you know. The whole thing wasn't even my idea in the first place; I was bribed and got roped into it," The answer he settled on was indeed the truth, but he wasn't sure if the others believed it. "Let me stay and I won't cause trouble. I promise…everything that happened in the factory happened a long time ago."

"To hell with that excuse!" Becca snapped. "That doesn't mean you're a changed man. I bet you're not even _sorry_ for all those things you did."

Suzie piped up anxiously, remembering all the successful hunting and supply raids. "But Becca, what about—"

"Not now, Suzie," She moved so that she was seated between her sister and Randall, as if protecting her and preventing her from speaking further. "I want you gone, Boggs. You're better off in the swamps."

Randall lost his patience and slammed down his breakfast. "So that's what you want me to do, huh?! Leave?"

Here, Bernard made a very sincere face. "Yes, that would be fitting…Just for a while, at least. Think of it as punishment for not telling us the truth."

Randall felt his spirits drop like a stone. _So much for that…_

 **During the group's time apart is when things really start to get interesting. An important chain of events is coming up, involving illnesses, life-or-death injuries, and a few unexpected reunions with some old faces. Randall is finally beginning to accept the group as friends, although he won't admit it. More trials are yet to come before he will. We've made it to the halfway point now, so stay tuned for more!**


	18. One Member Short

**Woo hoo! Two more chapters done! With the group now split up, Bernard and the girls struggle to find enough food, all while wondering how to celebrate Naomi's birthday. Everyone is still in disagreement over Randall's departure; we cut back to him in the next part. Read and enjoy!**

Chapter Seventeen: One Member Short

The group had been coping fairly well since Randall's departure. True, they often discussed him and the issue, or even fought about it. His now-known past was an interesting topic, though not in a good way. Naomi had not taken much notice of Randall during their college days, ten years ago. But from what she remembered, the lizard had become top of the class and a dutiful student; awkward, shy, and almost geeky, but overall pretty likable. When she shared this information with the others, they had trouble believing it. How could such a monster turn bad? It was almost pitiful.

Randall had packed up and left with hardly a goodbye. Bernard had said something along the lines of 'don't come to us, we'll come to you,' but had not said when. A good, long stretch of isolation was just the right discipline Randall needed.

The days melted into weeks, and the weather took a toll over what remained of the group. Autumn was in full swing, with many animals preparing for hibernation. Food was getting harder to come by, so someone was always out hunting. Suzie had resorted to edible tree bark as a staple at every meal; foraging had indeed become more of a scavenger hunt. The farm always had plenty of things to eat, but with the dogs and so many people living there, raids were risky. Going over there during the day was out of the question. At night, the dogs often roamed around—either in or outside the house—and barked upon hearing anyone sneaking around. Other houses had plenty of animals, too, and dogs and cats seemed to be popular. Even the horses and goats made too much noise; getting caught was a high probability wherever the monsters went, and so kept to the woods as much as possible.

The group was not exactly starving, but no one was able to eat as much as they would have liked.

Not everyone was enjoying the fact that a valuable member of the group was gone. During rough, hungry days, somebody would bring him up in conversation. Suzie did this most often. It was so difficult to stay hidden whenever she tried to sneak onto a property! Randall had been the best infiltrator, and a huge help when it came to finding food. Now that he was gone, she realized just how much of a hand he had been.

One day, while Naomi was out hunting in the woods, the other three stayed behind to do some chores. Both the tents and the sturdy lean-to shelter needed repairing. A heavy spell of rain had turned the campsite into a muddy mess, plastered with decaying leaves. About half the leaves had fallen off the trees by now. Naomi was so disgusted by the muddy ground that she was glad to leave camp for a while.

Becca was trapped in the camp anyway with a twisted ankle, unable to walk. The accident had happened when she tripped on a hidden tree root at a full run; a small deer had caught her eye and she had been running to shoot it in a hurry. As she sat on a log, sewing, Suzie began another outburst about the absent member of the gang.

"I still can't believe you did that," Suzie ranted for what seemed like the fiftieth time. "Just kicked him out like a piece of trash…"

"For the last time, it was for the best," Becca shot back. "That's what I've been telling you for _weeks_ , Little Sister, so will you please just drop it, already?" She returned to the boring task of fixing the blankets. A couple of holes had appeared in the fabric that needed to be sewn shut. Cold autumn air seeping into the tents every night was driving them all crazy.

As Becca worked, Suzie refused to back off. "How can I just drop it? A member of our group has been kicked out, and you and Bernard don't even bat an eye. He really was a benefit, you know. Since he left, there hasn't been one good supply raid. The hauls are so pathetic these days…do you know how hard it was just to get you that needle and thread?"

"Both of you stop it," Bernard called from across the clearing. He was exercising his bad leg, trying to walk without limping. "The Randall issue has been gone over enough times. Suzie, I know you and Naomi don't like it, but remember, we'll go and get him when I deem it the right time."

"But it's been weeks. How long is this punishment supposed to last?"

"Hmm…" He puzzled, still marching around. This mid-autumn day was a sunny one, but the air was constantly chilly and crisp nowadays. The gang of four had begun wearing light jackets. Bernard was actually wearing two jackets, taken apart and re-pieced to fit his bulky frame. He fussed with the too-short sleeves as he answered Suzie's question. "Until winter. By then, it'll be time for us to move, anyway. We can join Randall then."

"Good. It's not fair, making him live on his own. After all, the five of us were getting along. Sort of."

Becca looked up from her sewing. "I still can't believe he went off so far. What a trip that will be, when it's time to go get him. I, for one, am not looking forward to it."

Bernard gave an exasperated sigh. "Enough, girls. Time to focus on something else. Like Naomi's birthday party tonight."

"Oh, that's right! For my present, I'm going to take her shifts for watch duty this week. You know how she hates doing it," said Becca. "Give her a break, and none of us will have to put up with her whining. It's a win-win."

"I still want to try and raid something delicious from the house." Suzie said. On the last several nights, she had been trying to figure out how to break into the farmhouse. "Bernard, if you keep a lookout, I'm sure I can sneak into the kitchen."

"You've tried that several times, don't forget. None of us have made it past the front door thus far."

"But I was thinking, if I wear that Amish dress, it could work this time. I'm about the same size as the girl who lives there…"

…

Meanwhile, Naomi was dealing with a problem of her own: today was her turn to hunt, birthday or not. Despite it being her birthday, she wanted to pull her weight with the chores today.

Since Randall had taken his bow and arrows when he left, she had constructed a new set. It was a rather crude version, made of a flexible branch and strong cord, stolen from the barn. The arrows were only thin, sturdy sticks with whittled tips. They were not as effective as the other bow and arrows…she needed to repair this new set often—after every other shot, practically!

She was so deep in the woods that the other side of it had nearly been reached. There was sure to be another cluster of Amish homes popping up out here. For the entire march through this muddy ground, she hadn't seen so much as a mouse.

A fit of coughing overcame her and she was forced to lean against a tree until it stopped. "Not again…no wonder I haven't seen anything worth hunting." The coughs must've been scaring the animals off. The little fireballs accompanying them must've had something to do with it, too. "Ugh…some hunting trip this is."

Naomi stooped by a tree root for a break. She took a few sips from a water bottle to try and get rid of the horrible feeling in her throat. It wasn't just her throat, however. The feeling ran deep down, straight into her chest and lungs. It felt a bit worrying…or perhaps she was overthinking it. The others often accused her of exaggerating.

Shouldering the backpack, she tried again to track something down. This chore was so tricky! You had to be quiet, stealthy, and observant; three qualities she did not possess. Although Bernard usually stuck to fishing, even he was a better hunter then her. Eventually, she decided to hunker down under a bush to try the 'watch and wait' tactic. It was simple, really: just wait for food to come to you. It was such a boring method, though. A lot of patience was required. During one of the hunting lessons with Randall, she figured out that this method was also his least favorite, for he was not a very patient monster.

Stretched out on her stomach, with her head resting in her hands, Naomi pouted prissily. "Bored, bored, bored…how do the others dothis every day?" She carelessly put the bow down and began twisting a strand of hair around her claw for something to do…she had been hunkered here for a while, pretty well-hidden, with damp autumn leaves getting stuck to her. Disgusting! Something had better come along if she had to put up with all this outdoors.

As if on cue, a soft shuffling was heard. Naomi snatched up her flimsy bow in enthusiasm.

Whatever it was, it was coming from only a few trees away…Naomi drew the string. Hopefully the weapon wouldn't snap in her hands again.

A single hen came clucking around the tree trunk.

She went limp in disappointment. Had it been a coyote or something bigger, that would have impressed the others back at camp. She must be closer to the edge of the woods then she thought, if chickens were wandering around. It must've escaped from a nearby farm…oh well. Chicken on the menu tonight would be a good dinner. She drew the string again.

But it snapped in half with a sharp ' _twang_.'

"Oh, no, come back here!" she scolded as the startled bird scampered off. She took off after it, forgetting to be quiet. Since the chicken was tame, it didn't go very far. She managed to corner it a couple of times, but it either ran off when she lunged, or half-fluttered just out of reach. This was not a very dignified hunt; with every attempt, only more dirt and grime got stuck to her.

The short chase ended when the prospective dinner clucked off out of the trees and into the open. Just ahead were the beginnings of a human property, with a whole bunch of other birds squawking around in an enclosed pen. Naomi stopped at the forest's edge, diving behind a tree. In sight were a few Amish folk hard at work with afternoon chores. Some were working in a vegetable garden, while others counted the daily eggs from the chicken hutch. One of the little girls noticed the runaway coming out of the woods and ran over to collect it joyfully. Another step forward and Naomi would've been seen by every set of eyes.

There went tonight's dinner! She hissed in frustration, but stopped, for another fiery cough threatened to come up.

Why was being sneaky so hard? The sooner Randall was welcomed back, the better. His stealthy hunting style was just the thing she needed to figure out. The way Becca went all trigger-happy was just too barbaric for her taste.

Naomi thought of making an attempt to be a chicken-thief, but decided it wasn't worth it. She gathered her poise and tidied her hair. Once finished, it was time to head back into the woods; maybe there was a squirrel to catch on the way.

The uncomfortable cough had been going on all day. If more fireballs came out of her mouth, there was no hope in finding any dinner at all.

…

Bernard did not take part in supply raids very often. It was a chore he tended to avoid in populated areas, for his sheer size made staying out of sight rather problematic. When Suzie implored him to come along, he refused at first.

"Oh _please_ come? Becca can't walk, and I need help breaking into that cellar. The locks will need to be picked, and a lookout will come in handy. Also, I might get lost in the woods if I'm by myself. All the trees look the same after a while."

"That house is way out in the open. And I'm too big; I may as well be holding up a sign that says 'Look over here!' I do not want to risk our being discovered."

"We won't. It's almost dark, and that family is out for the evening; I saw them leave with the horse and buggy. If we head to the house now, we can be back before they return."

"Aren't you forgetting the dogs?"

"Well, they're usually locked up when the people go out, but I doubt they'd be in the cellar. There's nothing to worry about."

Bernard finally agreed, but insisted on disguises as a precaution. He tried to come up with something by wearing an extra-large jacket with a hood. Much of his face and torso were hidden, but the result did not exactly look convincing.

"Here, put this on," Suzie pulled out a men's hat. (A farmer had left it behind in a garden one day.) "There. You shouldn't draw too much attention."

"Yes. I'm sure the neighbors won't take notice of a gorilla-sized burglar." Bernard sighed sarcastically.

"It'll be fine. This raid is necessary, anyway. There's not much to eat out here anymore…maybe we'll get lucky again with more chicken eggs. A boiled egg in the morning is really hard to beat…hey! That could be a new one-liner!" Suzie was getting ready to go, putting on the Amish dress and head covering. She tucked up her feelers and armed herself with an empty knapsack and a couple of knives.

"Any requests for when we're in the house?" Bernard turned to Becca, who sat massaging her ankle.

"Something to use as an ice pack! I'm desperate, here! Or just raid a fridge or an ice box if you make it to the kitchen. And don't forget to find something for Naomi's birthday. Or else none of us will hear the end of it."

"Will do." Suzie was a bit too short for the long dress, but at least it kept her tail hidden. "There was never this much trouble with food in the last few autumns, was there, Bernard?"

"No. I think this year is tough because there are so many homes nearby. Animals are just a tad harder to find, I suppose. Except for the fish."

The sisters groaned. They both loved fish, but even they were getting tired of it evening after evening. With a birthday to celebrate, everyone was in the mood for a feast.

…

Naomi finally made it back to camp after sunset, just as the last light was about to fade. Along the way, she had tried to catch some small animal, like a chipmunk or a squirrel. But the rodents were awfully fast. Too fast to shoot and not worth the effort. Besides, she was tired from all the walking.

"Do you kill anything worth eating?" Becca asked as Naomi trudged across the damp ground.

"Does it look like I caught anything? No, I didn't. Everything that breathes under the sun has either migrated or getting ready to hibernate."

"Yeah. I'm hungry, too. I found these, though," she showed her a bunch of roots and bark she had gathered.

"Not _tree_ again! Please tell me Bernard and Suzie are bringing back something more appetizing?"

"Sorry. Can't make any promises."

"Ugh. Some birthday this is turning out to be! A feast of tree and who-knows-what-else." Naomi had another sudden fit of coughing before the complaints could be finished. One cough sent a large flame onto the campfire, setting it ablaze. She pulled up a rock and sat down, tired of this frustrating afternoon.

"You've been coughing all day; are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine. It's just a cough."

"Boy, a rainy day, mud everywhere, a bad hunt, and to top it off, you're getting sick. Sounds like a great birthday." Becca found all this misfortune so entertaining that she actually laughed. "I guess I'll tell you what my present is now. I'm taking over your turns for watch duty this week. Surprise! And 'you're welcome'…and I'm trying to be nice, here, so you'd better appreciate it."

"Cool! Thanks! Getting presents sounds pretty good, I guess." Naomi was about to smile, but instead, another cough came out. Becca hopped aside on one foot to avoid the flames. Things were already tough enough. One of them getting sick wouldn't make things any easier.

…

Only the chickens were around as the two disguised monsters crept past the barren apple orchard. It was quiet on the property, and after sneaking around the house's perimeter, they noticed the horse and buggy were gone. The family was still out somewhere—now was a supreme time for stealing.

But even with the family out of the way, Suzie still felt a bit worried. Talking about a break-in was easy. Carrying out the plan was a different matter. "I'm positive the dogs are locked inside…I'm sure they won't have access to the cellar. You don't think they will, do you?"

Bernard replied coolly. "We won't know until we're inside, so let's keep quiet and keep moving."

When they found the cellar door, he instructed her to keep watch while he tried picking the lock with a knife. A task would keep the girl busy and hopefully put a panic attack at bay. Besides, she was so nervous that her hands were shaking too much to attempt lockpicking, anyway.

The cellar entrance was a simple wooden double-door in the ground. It was very sturdily built, with a chain and padlock that were proving to be stubborn. A few minutes passed. Only three knives had been brought along, and soon two were bent just trying to open it. Suzie was a few feet away, peeking around the side of the house, where the neighbors' homes were visible. A couple of candle-sourced lights shone in their windows to make her all the more wary. She whispered over her shoulder. "Aren't you in yet?"

"Give me one more minute—damn," the last knife broke out of shape from the effort. "Time for blunt force, I guess." He grasped the chain in one hand, and gave it a sharp tug. The handles of the door came off with it. Perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to do…future raids to this place would be harder, now that the family would find evidence of a break-in.

The monsters clambered into the dark hole, down a short flight of stairs onto a cold floor. The air smelled musty and stale; this cellar must've been old, for some of the shelves were in need of repair. Bernard shone a flashlight around—which was running on the last of the carefully saved batteries—and found every wall to be lined with shelves. Jars of preserves numbered in the hundreds like a grocery store, all neatly labeled and ready to be eaten. The light of the flashlight glinted off the glass, making the place seem like a treasure trove.

Bernard wasted no time in swiping a few; things like 'strawberry-rhubarb jam' and 'apricot jelly' were unfamiliar spreads, but why not try something new? "Jackpot. These'll keep for a while." He hummed a cheerful tune. "What are you finding over there, Suzie?"

She was digging through some barrels and boxes on the other side of the room. With every lid lifted, the smell of harvested vegetables wafted out to get rid of the musty air. "Edible stuff. Potatoes and radishes, I think—they look just like the pictures in one of my books. There's enough to feed an army!"

"Excellent. Pack all you can carry. I'll take some of these things, whatever they are," he examined a funny-looked yellow squash. "And here are more of those apples, still fresh from the harvest." On a shelf above the barrels of fruit were rows of homemade applesauce in jars. So of course he took some of those, too.

Suzie's backpack was lumpy with all the vegetables stuffed inside. She slung it on with a grunt. Over in the corner sat an old-fashioned chest that was an enticing sight. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it to find warm, hand-knitted blankets. Much thicker and cozier then what the group currently had.

"Oh! Help me carry some of these! They're too nice to leave behind. These people have everything. So you think there'll be something good in their kitchen? I mean, if what's down here is so fancy, imagine what could be up in the rest of the house!"

'Suzie, I don't think—" Bernard stopped upon hearing a snuffling sound from somewhere on the floorboards above…there was another flight of stairs, with a proper door at the top that most certainly led into a hallway. The crack at the base of the door was where the snuffling noises were, accompanied by several pawed legs. "The dogs…this place has two of them, doesn't it?"

"Oh no. Now what?"

"We have plenty of food, now. Let's clear out."

"But what about Naomi's birthday? We have to find something extra delicious, be it a pie or even a few cookies."

"Those dogs can smell us down here. If they start barking and alerting the neighbors, or even attack us on sight—"

"But we have to get into that kitchen! You're scary-looking; can't you spook them a bit?"

"I've never taken a scaring lesson in my life. Besides, the applesauce will make a nice dessert for this evening."

"But that's not the same as a proper birthday cake. Can't you keep the dogs busy just for a minute? Please? You want to raid the kitchen just as much as I do, admit it!"

Bernard sighed. That was true…"Well…"

"Yes! C'mon, let's do this, before I chicken out." She clambered up the stairs and placed a scaly blue hand on the doorknob. She was feeling rather bold. The scuttling paws on the other side became more anxious and low growls of warning were heard.

"No, stop!" Bernard said through the dark in a stern voice. "No. It's too dangerous."

"But—"

" _Suzanne_ , we need to keep a lower profile then this. Those dogs could end up chasing us through the woods. They'll be harder to shake off then humans, trust me. Dealing with trackers is no picnic. We may have to move the camp now that they've caught our scent."

Suzie was irritated by this, and she was not one to get angry very often. She climbed back down the stairs reluctantly. "Humph. I wish Randall was here. He could break into the kitchen, no problem. These raids were so much more interesting before you and Becca threw him out!"

"For the final time, young lady, don't start that again! Now, I don't want to hear another word about it, OK?"

Suzie hated to be scolded, but didn't want to start a fight. She tried to regain her composer. "OK…Sorry."

The flashlight had been on long enough. New batteries would really be impossible to come by in this county, so Bernard switched it off the moment they reached the stairs leading outside. "Good. Got everything? Food and all?"

"Yep." She followed back into the open air. A pang of annoyance went along with her, though. She could've gotten into that kitchen! Maybe via one of the house's windows…if only she weren't such an obedient little monster. Bernard was sure to regret the wasted opportunity later. There was no way of knowing what baked goods they had missed out on.

…

The evening ended up being quite nice, with the dinner of roots, fish, bark and vegetables filling their bellies. It had been a while since a large meal. Tonight it was indeed a true feast, while the leftover food would be rationed out to last as long as possible. It was the biggest haul they had had in weeks.

Presents were passed out before dessert. A pair pre-worn boots from Bernard and a homemade hair clip from Suzie were unlike the extravagant gifts Naomi was used to back in the Monster World. Apparently her family was very well-off, and so every birthday until now had been a day of spoiling. Simple things like today's gifts were a good, humbling experience for her.

Bernard insisted on singing an off-key verse of 'Happy Birthday' as bowls of applesauce were passed around. No candles, unfortunately, so Naomi improvised with a single twig, lit by her own fire breath to blow out.

"Does anyone know what this stuff is? Is it just apples smashed into pulp?" Becca asked as she swirled it around with a spoon questioningly.

"Something like that. It's nice and sweet; not bad for a dessert. It's been far too long since any of us had some real sugar!" Suzie remarked. "So how old are you now, Naomi?"

"Thirty. Hard to believe, isn't it? Your birthday is next, right? By then, there should be five of us again…" she looked over at Bernard, silently asked what his plans were.

Bernard swallowed a spoonful of applesauce. "We'll see. Don't you start bringing up that criminal, too. His punishment still stands."

Becca was in a cheerful mood, and crossed her fingers that the subject would change. All it took was one unwanted topic to sour her disposition.

"He told us exactly where he went," Bernard continued. "We know where to find him. So when the time is right, we'll do some travelling ourselves to fetch him, OK?"

"Good. It'll be easier to go on supply raids with him around. Then there could be cake in the future!" Naomi smiled as she slurped more applesauce happily. This stuff really wasn't that bad—maybe she'd have a second helping. Despite being one member short, and an uncomfortable cough brewing in her lungs, it had been an OK birthday after all.

As Suzie finished off a third bowl, a sudden pang of guilt hit her. Naomi's comment made her remember Randall once saying that cake was his favorite dessert. Here they were, pigging out to their hearts' content, while he was off fending for himself. The punishment still stood, sure, but it was justly unfair.

With everyone having different opinions about his past, it was unclear how a reunion would go. Bernard was acting like he knew best—which was probably true—and Naomi really missed the extra help around camp, while wanting more hunting lessons. Becca was the worst, though, wanting nothing to do with the lizard whatsoever. With her sister so stubborn, Suzie wondered if a reunion would even happen at all. The group's future was so unclear at this point…


	19. Lonely

**A lonesome time for Randall, now off on his own once again. He still won't admit to himself that he misses the gang of survivors. Unsure if he'll see them again, he tries to make the most of his situation. But on one hunting trip, things go horribly wrong...**

Chapter Eighteen: Lonely

In broad daylight, on a sunny autumn morning, Randall could be found up on the rooftops. Many of the buildings were close enough together to leap across the alleys beneath. For wider jumps, he had to use all four legs to get enough momentum. There was certainly a risk in being spotted when he did this, so he kept invisible as much as possible. It was nearly noon, and people crowded the streets below, so this raid would have to be done extra carefully.

Colorful sights and delicious smells were all throughout the city, and Randall was actually eager to be out right now. There was so much to see and hear! Wefts of music from jazz bands could be heard often around here. Musicians would play on the streets to entertain passersby, and whole bands were hired to perform for restaurants. Music drifted out through open windows everywhere.

Randall had heard New Orleans was famous for its food and music, and was glad to see it lived up to the reputation.

He made it to the roof of a small café on the corner. It was a popular place. Since it was warm today, many of the patio tables were full of people eating lunch. Randall was perched right above them, sniffing the air deeply—the café served traditional southern dishes, judging by the smells. _Perfect. Exactly what I hoped for._

The purpose of this raid was to find some spices and certain herbs that didn't grow in the swamp. Randall was in the mood for some fine cuisine, so what better spot to find what he needed then a restaurant?

He scanned the crowds below, waiting for just the right time to head down.

In the last few weeks of being on his own, he had had an easy time raiding and stealing stuff. But it sure would be a lot easier if objects disappeared along with him! The people of this city would question the sight of stuff floating around of their own accord. Getting the ingredients outside and back to his hideout would be tricky, but not undoable. He had done this hundreds of times before.

First, to get inside that café…he went invisible and climbed down like a gecko, headfirst.

Maneuvering between the patio tables was easy. Shreds of conversation kept the atmosphere interesting. He had half a mind to linger and listen in. Many of the diners were tourists and discussed various attractions of New Orleans, or the delicious dishes they were eating. Such topics captured Randall's interest, but he had to stay focused.

He went beside the café entrance to wait for the door to open. The chance came when a family went inside; he kept close and slipped in before the door swung shut. There was a close call when the kid flailed an arm out to point at a something and nearly hit Randall. He stepped out of the way just in time. _Geez, keep ahold of your kid, people!_ Randall wanted to vent in irritation. Inside, he noticed the café interior was just as crowded as the patio. _Better stick to the walls. I'm not going to all this trouble just to bump into someone._

There were tables all packed with diners having southern-style sandwiches and salads. Loud voices filled the room, either chatting or telling the waitresses their orders. The staff itself seemed a jolly bunch of people, enjoying their work immensely. Food was coming out of the kitchen at lightning speed. The three waitresses were kept busy, practically running to deliver the orders while balancing several plates on their arms with ease.

Randall hoped all this activity wouldn't jeopardize his mission. If it did, that was fine, too. It would make the day all the more interesting. He was already crawling along the wall, careful to avoid knocking over picture frames. When he neared the kitchen, he realized the only way in was through the swinging door, and so was forced to wait yet again. The waitresses were still busy serving diners—they looked very frazzled, but smiled all through their work.

Seeing the workers, Randall wished he could've had a chance to be this happy with his old career…Scaring had been such a great job…the satisfying feeling after each successful scare couldn't compare with anything. If not for all the competition, he would have been as happy as everyone in this restaurant, hard at work but loving every minute. _Oh well…never gonna happen now._

When one waitress rushed into the kitchen, he followed. Unfortunately, the door hit him as it swung in the opposite direction. This was noticed by one of the cooks—to him, the door had bumped against thin air. The space around the room was tight, so Randall squeezed up against the wall as best he could. The cook walked over to investigate the door, checking to see if it was stiff or needed some oil—but shrugged it off after examining it. Nothing seemed to be wrong.

Randall was close enough to breathe down the man's neck, and held his breath as the man returned to his station. _I've gotta hurry…where do they keep the spices around here?_ The monster thought with urgency. As perfected as his invisibility was, he couldn't keep it up forever. It required a certain amount of concentration and was mentally draining if he kept it up for too long.

He scanned over the counters, utensils, ovens, stoves, and squinted past towers of dirty dishes and more tools dangling from racks on the ceiling. Spices…spices…there they were! On a shelf next to the pantry.

The cooks walked briskly about to prepare orders, so the invisible thief needed to watch his footing—kind of hard when you couldn't _see_ your feet, so he once again took to the walls.

The spice rack was interesting: all very odd ingredients, but he was becoming more adventurous these days. Tonight's dinner would certainly be different. Not knowing exactly what the flavors were like, he swiped a few: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano and thyme. To the staff, it would appear jars were floating around like magic, so Randall held them fast and ducked low to keep them hidden. _Now, how to get them out of here?_ Going back through the busy dining area, onto the patio, into the alley and back up the side of the building was way too much hassle. There had to be another way… _Maybe I should have thought this all the way through…_

A small window in the corner caught his attention. From his crouched position, he could tell it led out into the alley. A perfect escape! But it was directly in a cook's line of sight. The man was sautéing vegetables, making wraps, and stirring a pot of soup all at the same time. He was occupied enough to not notice a bunch of floating spice jars…but Randall decided to create a few distractions.

He placed the jars on the shelf for now, and slinked over to a stove. It was a gas stove, and he turned on every burner up to full blast so that the flames raised high. Next, he reached up to loosen a utensil rack from the ceiling. Soup ladles, spatulas, and whisks clattered and clanged across the counter, ruining the wrap assembly line. Cooks jumped at the noise with high-pitched screams. A couple of salads were knocked into the air and lettuce sprinkled over their heads. Someone noticed all the stoves had been turned on mysteriously, and called for help to turn them down right away.

As an added touch, a waitress came in and slipped on a damp rag that had not been there a second ago. She wasn't hurt, and stood open-mouthed to stare at the chaos. Groaning and rolling her eyes, she went over to help pick up the ladles and whisks. Every utensil now had to be washed. And in the middle of the lunch rush, too!

No one noticed a handful of spice jars floating out through the window.

Randall sat down behind a dumpster to relax for a moment. He finally reappeared, wearing the building's brick-wall pattern and found that he was chuckling hard. He stopped upon realizing it was almost a laugh. "Hmm…been a while since that's happened." In truth, he couldn't remember the last time he had actually let out a good laugh. It happened so rarely. He had forgotten how much fun it was pulling stunts like this; a good change from the daily routines out in the bayou.

He counted all the spice jars to make sure he hadn't dropped one. "All this trouble just to cook a real meal. The Monster World doesn't know how easy they have it."

…

It was nice to be cooking something again. It was a favorite hobby of his.

A thrown-away cooking pot was going to hold the whole stew. The last of some alligator meat was the main part of it; once he arrived back at his hideout, the spices were put to work at seasoning the meat. He cooked some foraged greens and other swamp plants until they were heated nicely. A pouch of rice (stolen on a previous raid) was added into the water. He then waited impatiently for the rice to cook before adding the spiced meat. Once that was done, he gave it a few more stirs until it was cooked to his taste.

The culinary session reminded him of old times back in the kitchen of his house, where cooking was a day to day activity. Ingredients were not easy to come by out here in the wilderness.

He carried the bowl of stew in one set of hands while climbing his tree. A good view of the sunset would be a nice way to end today. Since there was no one to talk to anymore, he had to find other things to distract his mind. It often got so quiet around here that he caught himself talking to thin air.

"Can't be starting that again," he voiced his thoughts.

The moss-draped trees grew to be quite tall in these parts, and he had chosen the biggest one for a home. Up on the highest branch, a great view of the bayous spread out, filled with all sorts of familiar sights and sounds. Fireflies still buzzed around this late in the year, and cricket songs filled the evening air. If Randall craned his neck, there was a glimpse of the river in the distance, and even a few distant lights form town. They were extremely blurry lights, but knowing civilization was near made him feel not so alone.

He wondered if the others would consider staying here for the winter. The food was plentiful, there was a lot to forage here, and the weather was decent year round. Naomi would hate it. It was _still_ a swamp, after all. Her worst nightmare.

He admired the view as he ate. The improvised recipe was so good that thoughts of the gang went away for a time. "This is not bad…next time, I gotta try for the cayenne. That would've kicked it up a notch…you're doing it again, Randall." He paused upon realizing he was talking to himself. "Don't go back into old habits!"

He ate until only a few bites of meat remained. These last pieces he stirred around absent-mindedly, for the meal now made him wonder how the gang was fairing food-wise. It would be pretty cold in Ohio by now—many animals would be hibernating and the hunting would not be as successful as before in that small wood, with all those farms around. The gang was capable of fairing without him—after all, they had done so before he joined.

Randall finished the last bites of stew. For the first time in an extremely long time, he felt full. There was a tiny twinge of guilt, though…the others might be struggling in that wood…

The last conversation with them had not ended well. There was not even a proper goodbye involved, ending on a sour note instead. They were the only monsters he would ever be in contact with; if they decided not to come for him…he shook away that thought. _That would be fine, I guess…_ But that last conversation would forever be regretted. Not for the first time, he relived it all over again…

…

All five of them had been sitting around the campfire in the woods, finishing up the delicious breakfast of eggs, and baked apples.

"What? We're throwing him out?" Suzie protested, after Bernard had declared Randall's fate and punishment. "No, that is not fair!"

"Suzie, it's not for forever. It is the most appropriate punishment I can think of," said Bernard firmly.

"But what about all the help he's been since he joined us? The hunting and raiding, and such? Sure, the methods of travel have been dangerous whenever it's time to move, but have really made the trips more interesting—"

"That's _enough_ ," Becca interrupted. "He's still an dishonest, heartless liar and needs to be punished somehow."

"You do realize I'm sitting right here?" Randall pointed out. He crossed every arm. "Don't talk about me like I'm invisible. You really want me gone? _Fine_. Where do you propose I go?"

"Anywhere you like! So long as it's far enough away that we won't run into each other." Becca snapped.

Naomi looked as if she would rather have no part in this conversation. Like Suzie, she wanted the lizard to stay; there were so many hunting techniques she had yet to learn. And Randall was the only one who could make heads or tails of that slingshot.

"But for how long?" Suzie asked Bernard.

"Until the message sinks in. Sorry, you two, but that is the final word. No excuses, no compromises, nothing…Randall, I want you packed up and gone by lunchtime. Understood?"

Here, a dozen thoughts zoomed through Randall's mind in an instant. Where did they expect him to go? He was just supposed to head out to someplace in these woods and wait? For what?! For them to come and fetch him? It seemed all his efforts to help them survive were finally being noticed, at least. If he hadn't come along, there definitely would be less variety when it came to food. He was the most accomplished hunter here. And thanks to his supply raids, the gang now had a first-aid book, more ammo and weapons, better fishing gear, and even a plant guide to assist with foraging. _They want me to leave? Alright. Let's see how well they get along without a few extra hands._ The lies were bad, yes, but being kicked out _because_ of them? That was just a little too harsh.

"Understood." He nodded at Bernard earnestly.

Suzie still disapproved of the penalty. "No, you can't leave! I bet there are a ton of tools in that barn; those'll come in handy if we need to build a better shelter. Which we _will_ need, eventually. It's getting awfully cold around here."

"Yeah, but we had a tricky time sneaking around the farm just to get those chicken eggs. Nearly got caught, too." Naomi added.

Becca raised her brow. "I thought you said no one was in sight?"

The Amish woman who had fainted in the barn was remembered, but Naomi sheepishly whistled, saying nothing more.

"That's another thing—it's getting far too cold in this place for my liking," Randall hated to admit his one weakness, but felt now was a good time to bring it up. "In Monstropolis, I'd be cranking up a thermostat full blast right about now. It's easy for you two," he nodded at the sisters. "You're mostly aquatic, aren't you? You have no idea how hard it is dealing with the cold if you're all reptile! So I'm heading south, where there's less chance of freezing to death."

Bernard was surprised. "That's going a bit far, isn't it?"

"It is necessary. I won't last long, otherwise." He returned to eating the breakfast of cooked apples. As ticked off as he was, he tried to speak calmly. What he said was purely logical, anyway.

"You're not going all the way back to Louisiana, are you?" Suzie asked.

Randall thought a moment. That actually sounded like a good idea. _Sure, why not?_ He then addressed the entire group. "Yes. I'll be back in the swamps, if you decide to take me back. I'll leave after breakfast…You don't mind if I take one of the maps, Bernard?"

"No, help yourself."

"Just how exactly do you plan on getting there?" Becca questioned. "That trip will take weeks."

"Oh, you know me. All my insane methods of travel will have me there in a few days, tops. Hitching a ride will be a snap, if it's only me." Randall swallowed a few more bites of food. It wasn't half bad. Scrambled eggs and cooked apples were better then what they usually had for breakfast. He looked at the others, who wore mixed expressions: surprised, anger, pure loathing…Naomi seemed worried, and Suzie looked absolutely crestfallen. He gave them a final message. "I was going to suggest heading south when winter arrived, anyway. So if you decide to let me back into your little gang, I'll be in New Orleans. Just look in the swamps outside the city."

As annoyed as he was with this situation, he was glad to see at least some of the group would miss him. But with the stern faces of the others, it was hard to tell if they ever intended to make that trip.

 _Thrown out. What a way to end this…_

…

That day wanted to replay itself, over and over. Randall found it a hard thing to forget—in the Monster World, he had never been the most popular guy. That was fine. He was a loner and didn't need company…but out here, where the general population was sure to panic at the sight of a monster, the circumstances were different. The misfit gang of outcasts were the only monstrous faces around.

He climbed down a few branches, pushing aside some curtains of moss, into his 'room.' It was in the heart of the tree. The thickest, sturdiest branch grew parallel to the ground, and was the most comfortable place to sleep. Other strong branches grew within arms' reach, perfect for storing gear and weapons. All sorts of things were dangling from the branches: bunches of foraged food, woven mats, discarded human objects like blankets and umbrellas, new carved bowls and cups, and some fishing spears. (Randall had been trying to copy Bernard's effective fishing strategies, but he always ended up going all gung-ho by diving in to strike. It was faster, not to mention more fun that way.) The hideout was about twenty feet off the swampy ground, not visible from below. Sometimes gator hunters or frog catchers wandered in by boat, but Randall had made sure his hideout was in a safe spot. It couldn't be seen from any angle whatsoever. With the sunlight just about gone, he settled down to get some sleep. He had plans to start an early hunt in the morning. He gave a short sigh as he drifted off. All this freedom was starting to drive him crazy! A year on his own had been torture enough. He had had a few months of companionship, and now that it was over, it was back to square one.

The constant whining from Naomi may have been annoying, but at least it was entertaining. Becca's bossiness kept everyone busy and on a dull day, he liked picking an argument with her just to see who would win. Randall had been working hard to improve his fishing skills; with Bernard such a seasoned pro at the chore, he had wanted to impress him. The man always had a piece of advice for everything, which sometimes came in handy. He was even starting to miss Suzie's corny jokes!

"I don't need them…It's easier without them, anyway. Less hunting, less gathering…there's no one to worry about but me." He came close to admitting he was actually beginning to miss them. But he shook the ridiculous idea away.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Randall," he ordered himself as he curled up in the tree. "You only miss them because you want someone to talk to. Just focus on the future; not the past."

The lonely monster drifted off to sleep with only the crickets as company, their songs filling the night. It had been weeks; were the others ever coming? Even the racket of Suzie's snoring was better than the perpetual buzz of insects.

…

The last few weeks alone here had been bearable. The sun was often shining, and since there were fewer chores to do, he had tons of time to himself. He invented new pulley systems for his hideout, climbed trees just for the fun of it, and even risked swimming in the gator-infested waters. Despite the minimal chill in the air, the sun had tanned his scales to a deep violet shade. He was strong and healthy, with plenty to eat. Granted, there were a few additional scars form alligator bite-marks. Not a day passed without having to wrestle the creatures off!

In the morning, he forgot all about his depressed thoughts and went deeper into the swamp for a hunt. The stew last night had whetted his appetite for more. There was no lack of alligators in this state; he predicted he'd have a fresh catch before noon.

Since it was still early, the sunshine had rich golden tones that hit the water brilliantly. Dragonflies zipped around Randall's head as he made his way upstream. Otherwise, it was quiet. There were no other sounds; not even the birds sang their morning songs. It was such a peaceful time of day that he almost smiled. There wasn't a sign of hunters near, so he felt safe enough to be out in the open. Being banished may be tough, but at least he had been thrown into the right environment. This place really suited him; it was a place where he thrived.

He hiked along the still stream, carrying a new, waterproof backpack and a couple of knives. Up ahead was a lagoon; a popular hangout for alligators. Along the way, he swung by his hands on low-hanging tree branches. He hopped from rock to rock to cross any streams, swatting away insects as he did. If the gang didn't come, and he was meant to be alone for all time, at least he wouldn't go hungry _. Better catch something big today. Those spices will really make the big ones worthwhile._

The lagoon was very still and serene. A good number of trees grew along its banks, thick enough to block out the sun. The dim light made the place more mysterious and foreboding then the rest of the swamp. Upon sighting it, Randall blended to multi-toned greenish-grey scales, identical coloring to the gators. The beasts were never fooled for long, but it was always fun to try.

He stalked towards the water on all eights, keeping low and never taking his eyes off the sight ahead. Most of the gators were submerged with only their nostrils, snouts and eyes peering from the surface. Some were on the shores, though, sunbathing in the few rays of light that penetrated the canopy overhead. These were Randall's prime targets. He kept his distance to pick out a victim; preferably a gator who was off by himself, away from the crowd.

 _What is a group of alligators called, anyway? A colony?_ Randall pondered. He picked out a large one, far enough away so that an all-out brawl would be avoided. _As exciting as a brawl would be, I don't think that would be a good idea. I may be good at this, but even I know when to draw the line between fun and stupidity._

For a full minute, he stalked the dozing victim, creeping closer and closer. It was hard to be silent. So much wild marsh grass and plants grew around here. The gator was about two thirds of his size, large enough to sustain Randall for several days, easy. The animals could almost be considered a staple food; so many lived out here that he vaguely wondered if reptiles outnumbered the human population in Louisiana.

He was still camouflaged. The gator was now close enough for its sides to be seen, breathing in and out steadily. It seemed to sense something was awry, despite his stalker behind so careful. It opened its beady eyes and twisted its head to look around. Just as it laid eyes on something hidden in the grass, the stalker pounced. Other alligators hissed and splashed into the water. Randall went for the neck straight away, pinning the victim down with a snake-wrestling move. His sharp teeth penetrated the thick hide, but not very far. Randall fought to keep the upper hand. In an instant, he gained a few more cuts that were sure to scar later. The gator was strong, too, and was fighting right back! Quickly, Randall used his body to put his prey into a chokehold. Using pure torque, he snapped the gator's neck to kill him quickly. Randall then spat out some blood and wiped his brow. _Done._

The monster dragged away his kill, away from the crowded waters. The other gators were giving him untrustworthy looks…

When Randall first began to hunt, in the early days of his banishment, he feared he was destined to deteriorate into some sort of crazed, primitive, psychopath! The first hunt had been the most difficult. Now that he was used to attacking, he could it without hesitation. He needed to _eat_ , after all. That was his mantra when it came to killing.

A little ways into the trees, he retrieved a knife to start the butchering process…Then, an unwanted voice made him pause. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. _They always show up at the worst possible times!_ The voices of a group of humans could be heard over the sound of a motorboat. People often went gator-hunting themselves out here, so it really wasn't that surprising.

Randall wasn't in the mood to go and waste time deterring them. He merely shouldered his newly-caught prey and went deeper into the trees. "I don't have time for this! C'mon, gator, let's go…" he went stiff in realization. "Great…I'm talking to the _food_ , now. I really am losing my mind out here."

The boat was out of sight, but he could hear the motor being cut. The hunters must be armed and ready to catch some alligators of their own. Gruff voices with southern accents talked loudly through the trees.

Randall scoffed at their noise. The most efficient way to hunt was to be _silent_ —at least that was what worked for him. Finding a secluded spot behind a tree, he got to work on skinning the alligator. He could always go invisible, so he saw no need to worry. Most human hunters stayed in their boats when they ventured into the swamps, anyway.

That reassurance was thrown away when booted footsteps were heard. He groaned. "Ugh. Give me a break…can't I have one day without being bothered?"

Perhaps Randall was becoming too confident with being sneaky. It seemed he underestimated these particular humans, this time. For when he next looked up, a man was standing half-shadowed by a tree, scarcely thirty feet away. Randall froze with the gator skin still in his hands.

The hunter yelled to his comrades. "Got one! Looks like a big one, too!"

Randall was caught off-guard. Of course…he was still in his gator disguise! In a split second, he saw the gun being raised and he went flat on the ground as it was fired. The bullet whizzed over his head, close enough to rustle his fronds.

"Help me corner it, Joe!" the man dashed a few paces closer.

Acting on instinct, Randall disappeared. The plan backfired, though, when the man witnessed this and only fired a couple more shots in alarm. Another man emerged from the trees to join the commotion. "Well, where is it? How big?" he said upon seeing no animal in sight.

The first man pointed with a shaking hand. "It was right there, I swear…"

Randall forgot about his hard-earned dinner. These guys could keep it, for all he cared! He had to get out of here. The dead alligator was hidden in the tall, overgrown grass; the hunters hadn't even spotted it. Maybe he could come back later for it. Holding his breath, he stayed low and snaked a path towards the trees.

"There, in the grass!" one of them pointed at the rustling grass and raised his rifle.

 _Oh, that's just perfect!_ Randall thought with a grumble. Couldn't he catch a break? He moved quickly in zig-zags, away from the hunters and into the shade of the trees. His heart pumped frantically as he ran, breath going ragged, but his mind was in a state of calm. This wasn't the first time he had had to escape the grasp of hunters; it was just one of the downsides of living here.

He reappeared a few minutes later to catch his breath and regain some composure. Behind and in the distance were the men's voices, arguing over which way their target had fled. "I'll head this way, you head back to the river…Ken, you go further in."

"How many of these guys are there?" Randall mumbled. In cases like this, it was wise to take to the trees and hide until the danger had passed. A simple strategy, but it always worked. There was a suitable tree within sight, just ahead. It was a big beast of a tree, and so covered in moss that there was no way anyone would spot him in its branches. He made a bee-line for it. Down on all eights, mere inches from the trunk, was the spot where he was forced to stop.

Dodging bullets wasn't too hard…but this time, Randall was too slow. A loud gunshot blasted out from somewhere behind like a thunderbolt. The sudden pain in his abdomen made him gasp in shock and he involuntarily blinked out of sight.

 **CLIFFHANGER! mwahahahaha**


	20. Troubles Rising

**Took a little longer to type this part out, what with life in general being very busy this week. (Just started a new job! Yay!) Anyway, here we are, with Randall seriously injured, and all alone with no one to help him. (A little bit bloody, but nothing super graphic.) The isolation is really starting to get to him, now. Elsewhere, the rest of the group is facing equally tough problems of their own. Enjoy!**

Chapter Nineteen: Troubles Rising

The full extent of the pain did not register at first. The suddenness of it had felt like a punch, knocking him into an invisible state. That was a mercy, since he wasn't sure if he wanted to see what damage had been done. He sure felt it, though. A damp, sticky substance was forming on his abdomen, just above his lower set of arms. He wanted to try and make a break for the trees. But he had been knocked face-first into the grass from the shot's force. If he moved, the grass would rustle yet again, and the hunter might take another few shots…

The man was still poised with the rifle. Shadows streaked across his face and smoke still emitted from the barrel, floating off into the air in grey wisps. He squinted into the clearing, positive he had shot that alligator…But where was it? Why didn't he hear any angry reptilian hisses?

Randall lifted his head so as to peer over the edge of the grass. His heart thumped so hard it was hurting. Adrenaline pumped through his body. It took all his willpower to stay where he was…

The early-morning sunshine couldn't quite penetrate through the branches, and so the light was dim. The hunter didn't seem too keen on venturing into the grass, where he thought a predator was lurking. Randall hoped all these things would add up. This really was a matter of life and death…he held his breath while clutching the spot in his side.

The man must've thought he had imagined seeing the gator. There wasn't a thing in sight; not even the sound of one. "Dammit…I was sure I saw something." Still wary, he began walking slowly back towards the lagoon, following the voices of his friends. There was plenty of other game in this swamp.

When the footsteps faded until only the buzzing of insects could be heard, Randall let out his breath. Now he could climb a tree to safety, just in case one of the other hunters came by this way. But as he tried to get up, the adrenaline began wearing off. The pain was only centered on the surface for now; that wouldn't last long. Still invisible, he forced himself to move while his second set of arms kept pressure on the wound. As he crawled towards the tree, a few drops of blood appeared on the ground, becoming visible as it dripped from his body.

Monsters' blood sometimes came in assorted shades, or even different colors. Randall's shone violet-red against the green grass. The sight horrified him.

Pain seared through his abdomen during the climb. His breath became extremely ragged; this was the worst pain he had ever felt. It was a combination of a sting, an ache, and an intense burning sensation that crept deep down. It felt like his insides were torn apart. _That's exactly what's happened_ …he realized as he maneuvered into the heart of the branches.

He found a nook in the tree veiled by moss; a safe enough place to access the damage. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to see it…but he had to. There was no one here to help him. So he returned to his normal self.

The gunshot wounds he had received in the past had never been this bad. Those had only been a few nicks in an arm or a leg. This sight made him want to disappear all over again.

For not running fast enough to dodge the bullet, Randall had paid quite a price. The close-range wound was bad, and he was very worried about internal injuries. It bled profusely, more than he expected. He tried twisting his head around to see an exit wound—and grimaced upon finding none. He applied more pressure, while knowing full-well the bullet was still in there, somewhere.

"Great," he cringed. "It's not even nine in the morning, and already the day is ruined."

The words sounded calm, but inside he was beginning to panic. Here he was, in a tree, doubled-over in pain from a gunshot wound with no help whatsoever. The bullet was buried in his side, and he was feeling a bit strange in the head, as if he were suffering from shock or blood loss.

"Things could be worse, I guess. I could have been caught…or killed…" he shuddered. The morning hunt had been such a close call. The fact that many monsters were sturdy enough to withstand more trauma then humans was the reason he was still drawing breath at all. He contemplated what to do. "Don't panic, Randall. You can fix this…you always find a way to fix things…just _think_!"

Using moss as a temporary bandage, he patched himself up to make the difficult journey back to his hideout. The journey felt extra-long. The gunshot kept him hunched over much of the way, and he often stopped for a breather. Nearby alligators seemed to sense he wasn't faring well, so they congregated near the shores as the monster went by in hopes of an easy snack. Randall wasn't stupid enough to go too close. He stayed well away from the water, changing the moss pack every few minutes.

The bleeding wasn't slowing down. His steps soon became staggered. Such lightheadedness had come to him that he stumbled over his own feet. The only way to fight it was to half-crawl on six limbs, always using one set of arms to keep pressure on his abdomen. He kept talking to himself the whole way. "Don't pass out. Don't pass out…if you pass out, you'll be eaten alive." The words were slurred as he remembered the hungry gators. Somehow, he found the willpower to keep going.

…

He collapsed with exhaustion at the stream that ran by his tree. The cool, fresh water was exactly what he needed. The agonizing journey to get back here had left him very thirsty.

Randall knew some first aid techniques; making splints was his most advanced skill—he remembered Bernard's broken leg and the group effort of trying to set the bone. That had been hard enough. But how did one treat a gunshot wound? The lizard faded to an anxious, sickly dull purple as he tried to figure out what to do next.

Using more moss, he did his best to clean himself up. At least the bleeding was finally slowing. Sitting by the stream, he tenderly felt around his abdomen. Very painful work this was, but he cringed through it. Maybe all the muscle built up these last few weeks had stopped it from going too deep. After several tries at finding it, he groaned and gave up. The bullet was just too deep to locate. If he moved a certain way, he actually felt it: a hard, unnatural thing lodged in there, somewhere. He glanced up into his tree-house hideout. The knives stored up there may not be right for this job; they were too large, and would likely do more harm than good. What he needed were some _real_ medical tools—sterile equipment and antiseptic. Anything to help him get that bullet out! He had a first aid kit already, but it wasn't suitable for what needed to be done. His entire stash of antiseptic had been used up on various gator bites from previous hunts. There was nothing to stitch himself up afterward, and only a single roll of bandages remaining; a lot more would be needed during the healing process… _If I manage to live through this, anyway. Stupid hunters. I should've just turned back when I heard them; postponed the hunt until they had left._

This task was too critical to put off for long…he decided to risk heading back into the city immediately. A hospital or doctor's office was sure to have something to help…Randall froze with wide eyes and trembled. Just knowing he would have to perform minor surgery on himself made him all the more scared.

…

It was still broad daylight by the time Randall made it back to town. This raid would be the most important one to date, ever. It would be tough, too. There were several problems to deal with; for one thing, he couldn't move very quickly because of the pain. The bleeding had mostly stopped, but he risked dripping a drop or two onto the ground. If anyone bumped into him, or caught sight of strange droplets of monster blood, there could be more trouble than he was already dealing with.

At the edge of the swamp, he rested behind a tree, to catch his breath. It seemed the more he concentrated on the pain, the worse it became. So he tried to ignore it. "Time to do this. Fast!" he mumbled, looking out across the river. Staying too long without dressings on the wound was not a smart plan, but what other option was there?

Traversing across the water involved climbing through the branches like a jungle gym. The trees spread out over a narrow section of river, allowing him to cross without touching the gator-infested depths. When he reached the opposite shore, he went invisible right away. With it being the middle of the day, residents and tourists of New Orleans were walking around everywhere. He wanted to climb up to the rooftops like he always did, but decided against this. Climbing across the river had caused enough discomfort.

There was a plaza nearby containing a dentists' office and walk-in doctors' clinic amongst the shops. That was his target.

To get there, he exercised extreme caution. Randall crept along, doubled-over in pain, and moved from mailboxes, to streetlamps, to benches. Weaving through the throngs of people was a tricky job. Excited tourists tended to rush around and change direction abruptly to marvel at the sights and sounds of the city. The kids were the worst. Some random kid nearly crashed into him more than once. The shoppers were all very happy, and the plaza had a live brass band performing today. The cheerful atmosphere did not suit his mood at all. He stayed focused on his mission and as much as he liked the jazz music from the band, he couldn't stop to listen.

When he reached the doctors' clinic, he was forced to wait for someone to open the door. As there were no hiding spots nearby, Randall wondered how long he could remain invisible before becoming mentally exhausted. However, the chance to rush inside came before he grew too worried. A human woman was dragging along a miserable toddler-aged boy, who was very determined not to go in. Randall slipped through the door while the mother was juggling the tasks of holding the door and making her crying son go through it.

The monster ignored the crowded waiting area of people both ill and injured. He slinked straight past them, making a beeline for the back rooms. It was difficult to tell where the med kits would be—such tools would not be in the examining rooms, where patients would have access to them. The 'off-limits' areas were his best guess.

The corridor was narrow, so he had to keep careful by crawling along the walls. With the pain in his side, this wasn't easy. Having the wound bleed again was constantly on his mind; it would give him away for sure. But it didn't, and he was able to reach the backrooms. Along the way, he passed a few nursing assistants. One of them walked close enough to brush her head against his fronds. Randall quickly pulled his fronds back as the nurse swatted away at thin air, thinking a fly was around.

 _What luck_ …he thought with relief upon finding the door unlocked. No one was around, or inside. He heard many muffled voices coming from the examining rooms, though. It appeared to be a busy day in this office, so he had to act fast before someone came back here. As the room was empty, he relaxed and returned to a normal state, shutting the door behind him. If someone came in, his lightning-fast reflexes would save his skin in a blink.

He began searching in frustration. What he needed was proving hard to find. The shelves and cupboards were stocked full of miscellaneous supplies such as cotton balls, swabs, tongue depressors, hand sanitizer, and charts and diagrams. The wrappings and bandages he found soon enough, but where were the things needed for stitches?

" _Of course_ they would be in the last one!" he found them in the final cupboard: sterile sutures and plenty of antiseptic inside a small kit, which also contained more gauze. He snatched the whole thing up and hugged it like his life depended on it—which it probably did. He wasn't able to find any precision scalpels, so he wound have to settle for a knife instead. One of the smaller knives back at camp would have to do…

Randall leaned against the shelves to rest, just for a little longer. He felt a little lightheaded…another sharp wave of pain came over him, but there was little time to wait for it to pass—he had to get out of here! The sooner he extracted that bullet, the better.

There was an emergency fire exit at the end of the corridor; the only escape while carrying the armful of supplies. He went invisible to peek out of the room. So far, so good…no one was coming, but the many muffled voices sure sounded close…the exit sign was very close; a ten-second run and he would be home free.

A couple of potted plants decorated the hallway. If someone showed up, he could just toss the supplies into a plant and hide on the ceiling. He waited half a second longer to be safe, then made a quiet dash into the open. The armful of stuff appeared to be floating comically in thin air.

An examining room door suddenly opened as he passed. He tossed aside the med kit just as a woman in scrub clothes came out, carrying a clipboard and what looked like a needle for giving shots. From inside came the wails and screams from a small boy. The nursing assistant had an exasperated look on her face. Clearly giving shots to squirming toddlers was not her favorite part of this job.

Clinging to the ceiling, Randall watched her walk around the corner. In the Monster World, the screams from that kid would be causing the lights to flicker. How strange they had no effect here. He listened to the boy's screaming while watching the inactive lights with mild interest. _I wonder why it doesn't work in this world?_ He shook his inquisitive mind free and snapped back to the present.

With the woman gone, and the kid and its mother still inside, Randall reached with his tail to fish for the med kit. He held it safely in his hands again. The bullet wound was really beginning to tear at his insides from all this moving around. Time was wasting, so he wasted no more time in getting out of here. He threw open the emergency exit and slithered out into a back alley. When the door alarm blared, he did not look back. He ignored the pain and through shear willpower, managed to scale the wall of the building.

On the barren rooftop, he collapsed onto his back in agony, breathing hard and fighting off the urge to pass out. Just _getting_ the supplies to patch himself up was as much of a pain as the injury itself.

…

Back in the swamp, he held the smallest knife he had, which had been boiled in water to sterilize it as much as possible. But he didn't want to do this. Taking several breaths, he tried to gain some composure.

"OK…relax, Randy, relax…you can do this…" He realized what he just said. That was the first time he had used his old nickname in years. Operating on himself to pull out a bullet suddenly seemed to be going a bit far, almost to the brink of insanity. His heart beat faster at the thought. "It's got to be done…"

He was sitting amongst the roots of a tree in a comfortable position—this was really going to hurt, so he may as well try to make it easier. A shard of mirror was propped up next to him to help get a better view of his side. Strewn around were the various medical supplies: antiseptic, sutures, and bandages. This particular tree was a little ways away from his hideout. Thinking ahead, he was worried the smell of blood may attract predators, so this operation was best done over here instead.

It was a shame he hadn't anything to dull the pain. He took a few more breaths to prepare himself… _why_ was he doing this? Worst part was no one was around to help in case something went wrong. Naomi had mentioned her mother was a nurse, so Naomi must know something about this sort of thing, right?...Randall doubted it. He raised the knife slowly, but put it down fast. This was the most frightening thing that had happened to him, ever. If reptiles could sweat, he was sure beads of it would be forming on his forehead right now. Never before had he felt so alone.

"Just do it…and get it over with. That bullet can't stay in there." His hands shook as he got to work…

…

A half hour later, he was finished. Violet-red blood stained his hands, midsection, and the surrounding grass. He had gritted his teeth hard through the whole ordeal. It had taken so long to find that darn bullet! When he finally managed to dig it out, he sighed in relief. Hopefully he hadn't done further damage to himself. The last thing he heeded was to make this big problem worse.

The stitches were lopsided, but held the wound closed. That was what mattered. When he washed the blood from his hands, the water ran thick with it. Not a pleasant sight.

Crawling tenderly back over to his hideout, a whole new set of complications formed in his head. What if his wound became infected? What if some animal found him and attacked? So much pain clawed through his body that there was no way he could defend himself if such a thing happened. And he wouldn't be able to hunt for a while in this state.

All of these worries, coupled with the hardships of today, were reason enough to yell in frustration. He gave that a try, but this caused terrible waves of fire to course through him.

The sun was beginning to set. Normally, this was his favorite time of day; the time to do nothing but eat dinner, relax, and admire the brilliant colors of the sky. Since the branches of the tree rose up quite high, a spectacular view of the swamp spread out below. There was nothing Randall liked better than having a rough day of surviving behind him. All the hard work he put into staying alive was something to be proud of.

But not tonight. This evening, he was in too much pain to climb higher than the branch he slept on.

His mind wandered to his fellow banished monsters. They were still back in Ohio, no doubt planning to hold out the winter. Bernard and Becca had been so furious with him, after learning of his past. With them as leader and second-in-command of the group, Randall felt sure they would not be coming for him anytime soon. Suzie was never far from her sister's side for long and with her hopeless sense of direction, travelling on her own was unlikely. Naomi had also appreciated his being around, but knew she would not go off to find him, either. She was not one to disagree with the group's leaders, and with her carelessness, the journey to New Orleans would be hard work.

No. Randall was truly alone.

Those monsters were the only form of help and they were so far away…he put a hand on his freshly stitched side. The ache was terrible. He leaned back against the trunk of the tree to try and relax. All around on the branches hung the many collections of weapons and knickknacks from town. The moss curtains parted to let in a hint of the setting sun, but not even the security of his secluded hideout made him feel better.

As much as he hated to admit it, he'd give anything for the others to be here right now.

He was in no mood to eat. He just laid down on the branch to rest. Extracting a bullet was exhausting. The bullet itself he decided to keep as a reminder of what could happen in these swamps. It would remind him to be more careful! It was so aggravating, dealing with a problem like this. When Bernard fell from that cliff in Yellowstone Park, at least the man hadn't been alone during the healing process. The group had all banded together to help.

To Randall's utter shock, he found himself wishing for some comfort…weather it just be a few words of reassurance that everything would be fine. He thought of Becca and Suzie, and how lucky they were to at least have each other. The two weren't the closest of sisters, but always looked out for one another. What he wouldn't give for someone to be here to help him right now…

Samuel would know what to do. Perhaps it had something to do with being a psychologist, but his brother always knew how to raise someone's spirits just by talking to them. Randall remembered times gone by when Sam played the older brother role to a tee, always having some supportive thing to say during tough times. Randall sighed with a shred of regret…the last time he had spoken to his brother, Sam had been very stressed out because of some exams he was taking. No doubt he had passed. For the first time in a long while, Randall found he missed him. It had been years since they had had a real conversation, but he and his brother had been close once before, long before college days. He stared off into space, now wondering what his brilliant, braniac, star-studying father would say if he saw him now…as strict as his father was, he wasn't _that_ bad to be around at times. He was often a good listener and giver of advice. Like Sam, he was a workaholic with little spare time, but when Rex had been born, things had changed.

Randall barely knew his nephew at all, barely remembered what his father's voice sounded like, and didn't even know how his brother's ambitious career plans were going. The chance to mend family ties would never come, now that he was stuck out here.

He checked the mended gunshot wound. It still felt like fire, but the stitches were holding. He crossed his arms, finally snapping back to reality. This whole day was causing him to re-think his whole life like some pathetic, emotional sap! "Fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Randall. This thread had better do its job…No one's around to help if you get into any more trouble."

His thoughts were very troubled as he curled up to try and get some sleep. He would never admit to missing his family, nor the other banished monsters…not aloud, at least.

…

"OK, this one is good," Suzie was saying as she flipped through the joke book. "'How do you repair a broken tuba?'"

Naomi sat under the lean-to, holding her head as if it would explode. She knew Suzie was just trying to make her feel better, so she suppressed a cough and replied. "How?"

"'With a tuba glue.'"

Instead of laughing, Naomi went into yet another coughing fit. Horrible, damp ones from deep down in her chest. A fireball was sent Suzie's way and she ducked as it hit the campfire with accidental precision.

"Here, try some of the tea I made. It might help with the coughing." Suzie poured some steaming homemade tea out of the cooking pot. The stuff was mostly bark-based, with a subtle woody flavor. But by using the nature guide, she had managed to brew a pleasant enough beverage. She poured some for herself as well and joined Naomi under the wobbly shelter, though not too close for fear of catching whatever it was she had.

Naomi was feeling a bit chilled and took the tea with shaky hands. She sniffed the drink with a questionable expression.

Both monsters were wearing warm fall coats to keep out the chilly air. With a fire now going, it wasn't so bad outside in this damp weather. Bernard and Becca had gone off on yet another raid for medicine. Every raid brought them to a new Amish house these days. Many of the medicines they were finding were more of the home-remedy type, which weren't really helping Naomi in the long run.

What had started as a cough had turned into something far worse. She was often chilled, felt very tired and weak, chest pains bothered her constantly, and her breathing was very fast and erratic at times. Sometimes she would cough up mucus along with the occasional fireball. Not one member of the group knew what was wrong, and it was steadily getting worse.

"I don't like this," Suzie worried as Naomi sipped the tea. "The rest of us will catch it soon, I'm sure. You've been sicker every day."

"Ugh…tell me about it," Naomi's face was still very pale lavender, despite the tea warming her up. "I wish I'd paid more attention to my mother's chattering at dinner. She always told me about her days at the hospital, and any weird illnesses she had to deal with. If I had just listened, I'd know what the heck this bug is! Are you sure there's nothing in the first aid book?"

"No. Nothing is in there about illnesses. Just things like snake bites and poison ivy treatments." Hearing Naomi's miserable groan, she tried again to lighten the mood. "But I'm sure the others will find something to help."

"That's what you guys have been saying every day. No such luck yet."

Suzie did not reply. Now did not seem an ideal time for jokes.

They sat quietly in the autumn scenery, looking around at the barren, leafless trees. Today was a cloudy, grey day with the threat of rain hanging in the air; the perfect ingredient to turn the fallen leaves into a slippery, muddy mess. It was already muddy enough around camp. But Naomi was too ill to even complain about it. The group knew that this was a definite sign she wasn't feeling well.

Bernard and Becca returned a little later, carrying fresh chicken eggs, as well as a few dead chickens.

"Any luck?" Suzie inquired about any medicine.

"Nothing," Becca put down the basket of eggs. "Didn't even get a _chance_ to try to sneak into the house! That stupid horse whinnied every time we tried to get close. And the next house has _three_ of them, so that'll be fun." She was in an extra-bad mood today and didn't bother to hide it.

The pale, weak Naomi grumbled and lay down on the pile of blankets. She remained motionless as Bernard stooped to feel her forehead caringly. "You're still running a fever."

" _Still_?" Naomi repeated. "Shouldn't it have gone down by now?"

"Well, if it doesn't go down soon, maybe you should try taking a bath in the stream."

"Ugh. No way am I doing that! The water's freezing!"

"That's the idea. I've heard it can help with a relentless fever if desperation calls for it."

In the background, the sisters cringed at the idea. Neither of them wanted to catch whatever it was Naomi had. The fear of everyone in the group getting sick lingered in their minds. Even Bernard had the same fear, though he did not express it as much. His fatherly instinct had kicked in and he was focused on trying to make Naomi feel better. He suspected this bug had affected her lungs, somehow. That would be why she was coughing up mucus and had chest pains.

"Don't you have any ideas as to what this is?" Naomi managed to wheeze. "It could be bronchitis. I've had that before, and that sort of felt like this."

Bernard shook his head. "Perhaps. I'm worried it might be a lung infection…that might be why you're not improving. Unfortunately, I'm no doctor." He stood to pace around the campsite while the sisters got to work preparing a bunch of fried eggs and chicken for dinner. "This can't go on. We've searched every home within a ten mile radius and there's nothing to help us!"

Suzie suddenly looked up with alarm. "What about pneumonia?" Everyone turned to look at her. She went on. "Pneumonia's a lung infection, isn't it? That seems to fit the symptoms, too."

Just the mention of that word caused Naomi to shake uncomfortably with a combination of chills and nerves.

Becca returned to her bossy ways. "And what makes you so sure? That's far worse than bronchitis. No offense, Little Sister, but your ideas never work out for the better."

"They do so! Sometimes, anyway. But that's beside the point. I think we should search a hospital. That way, we'd find the info we need."

"But what about the medicine to fight it? Antibiotics and such?" Becca argued. "We're _monsters_ , in case everyone's forgotten. Even if we could find antibiotics, they'd be formulated for _humans only_. Bernard, remember when you found those headache pills in one of the cars we stole?"

"Yes. They hardly did anything at all. Even after a quadruple dose."

Becca spoke slowly and condescendingly. "Because everything in this world is made for humans! Face it, guys, we're in real trouble, here…anyone know if pneumonia is contagious? Nothing like planning ahead for out untimely _deaths_."

" _Rebecca_!" Bernard scolded. "Antibiotics are considerably stronger then headache pills. They might work, and there's no harm in trying."

"But how?" said Suzie, cracking a few eggs in the frying pan. She accidentally broke the yolks. "Whoops…is scrambled OK with everyone?"

"…Randall could help." Becca brought up out of the blue, ignoring the egg question. Everyone was shocked at her statement. She had reacted the worst when Randall had confessed his criminal past. She was the last one they expected to be bringing him up. "Yes, I'm admitting it. Surprised?" Becca raised her brow as she torn a leg off one of the dead chickens. "He could break into a hospital, no problem. There's too much security and cameras for us to ever stand a chance."

"Then we can go find him? It's been so long, already." said Suzie.

Bernard sighed and nodded. "I guess so. I had hoped his punishment would be longer…I still don't trust that lizard, though. This second chance he had better not waste. After kicking him out, he may not be willing to help."

Naomi sat up and hugged her knees. "He'll help. Nobody can be that heartless."

"I hope you're right," Bernard once again felt her forehead. "Good grief, you're burning up! After dinner, I want you to soak in the stream to bring that fever down. You shouldn't be travelling like this as it is, but what choice do we have?"

"I don't wanna do that! The water's like ice."

"Do you _want_ to get better?" Becca snapped at her whining. "Just do it and quit complaining."

Naomi pouted, but was too tired to protest any more. "Fine, I'll do it. So, Bernard, when do we leave?"

"As soon as we can; maybe tonight. But however we travel, it will have to be fast…" He took a bowl of scrambled eggs that Suzie was passing around. "Did Randall happen to mention how he was getting to Louisiana? Anyone remember?"

They all shook their heads as they ate. The last meeting with Randall had been rather sour. He hadn't told how he was getting there; just packed up his things and left without explaining.

"Hmm…everyone start brainstorming, then. With you sick, Naomi, walking is definitely not an option. That'll take too long. We'll think of another way, I'm sure."

Becca scowled and rubbed the fins on her head in thought. "Hmph…knowing Randall, he probably did something crazy and stupid…like hiding on a train like a hobo…" she dug into her bowl of scrambled eggs before noticing the others staring as if she were brilliant. She paused with a fork in her mouth. "…What?"

 **Up next: another crazy mode of transportation to reunite the group, who need each other's help more then ever. See you then! :)**


	21. Stowaways Again

Chapter Twenty: Stowaways Again

"This is crazy! I swear that lizard's outrageous, dumb ideas for travelling have rubbed off on all of you." Becca whispered as she followed the others.

"Hey, you were the one who brought up the train idea," Suzie reminded.

"Not _intentionally_! I was joking around!"

The four of them were making their way through a train yard. This place was still in Ohio, not too far outside of the Amish county. Bernard made a few lucky guesses as to which way to walk in order to get here; some of the maps had train track markings on them. Deducing where the yard actually was required pinpointing where all the track markings intersected. The entire previous day had been spent walking through the woods. By the time night had fallen, the troupe had reached their destination.

The yard was a confusing maze of tracks and freight cars. It was a full moon tonight, which cast huge shadows and made this place all the more eerie. Even the tiniest noise seemed to echo off the big, metal boxes. A single building rose up at one end of the lot, where all the windows were lit up. That meant some people were still up at this hour. Any moment, some worker may come outside in inspect the late shipments, and so the group of monsters had to be wary. The crunchy, loose gravel ground did nothing to keep their footsteps quiet.

Bernard was leading the way, trying to be inconspicuous.

"How exactly do you plan on finding us a ride to exactly where we want to go?" Becca asked in a mid-yawn.

"By finding the schedules of these trains, somehow." Bernard was tired, too. None of them had had much rest from all the walking that day. "Stay in the shadows as much as possible. Odds are some workers are wandering around here."

"This late at night? C'mon, there's no way anyone could still be up," said Suzie.

"You'd be surprised. Trains come and go at all hours of the day. How are you feeling, Naomi?"

"Ugh…got good." She moaned. She was trying not to talk, for fear of coughing uncontrollably. Her face looked even paler in the moonlight. The journey had not been easy for her; weakness often overtook her, but she had pushed on. The fever had gone up and down, but her condition had not worsened, at least. Leaning against a boxcar shakily, she confessed to the others, "Can we hurry this up? The thought of relaxing safe on a train sounds wonderful right about now."

"Don't worry; we're almost to the station. Just hang in there," Bernard said with concern.

They all rested for a moment so Naomi could gather her strength, then they were once again on the move.

Being a bright red monster, Bernard would be spotted very easily if a train worker were to walk around a corner. His size was also proving to be a problem, as it always did when raiding or sneaking. While Naomi and the sisters could crawl underneath any old boxcar to hide, he was too big to fit. He could always climb up the cars, but not very quickly. His bad leg would not help, either. The closer the gang came to the station, the more Bernard vexed over all of these problems.

"Change of plan, girls," he brought them to a halt when the building came in sight. "Becca, I think you should be the one to look for those schedules."

"What? _Why_? I don't even want to ride in a train! Can't we just steal a car?"

"Because Naomi is too sick, Suzie is not the best when it comes to missions like this—no offense, Suzie—and you can get in and out faster then I can."

Suzie, a little miffed at his lack of confidence in her, agreed. "Just do it, please, Becca? We've already come this far. You're as bad a complainer as Naomi, sometimes."

Here, Naomi pouted, but made no comment.

Becca sighed. "Fine, I'll go. What should I look for?"

"Not sure. Anything to tell us which train is going where. Their schedules could be on paper, on computers, maybe try eavesdropping on any engineers or conductors. Try to find a train that's heading south, no matter what."

"No pressure, Bernard." She took off her knapsack so as able to move quicker. "OK, I'll be back soon…on second thought, I'll take a pistol with me."

"No. We're not here to endanger lives! We're just trying to hitch a ride." Bernard scolded. "We've had to deal with curious people before. It didn't end well for him, in case you've forgotten. If you really need to protect yourself, use this," he pulled the frying pan from his own knapsack. "And here's a knife, only for lock-picking purposes! Understood?"

"You've got to be joking…" Becca took them, still in a bad mood.

"Be careful!" Suzie whispered as her sister moved from shadow to shadow across the gravel.

Naomi let out a few quiet coughs. Unfortunately, a small fireball came along with them. It illuminated the boxcars brightly, causing her to glance up at the tall station building for signs of life. It was three stories high; anyone could look out a window to view the entire yard.

"Better hide under the cars," Bernard squinted up at the lighted windows. "Just to be safe." He himself only hid in the shadows, standing out like a sore thumb to wait for Becca's return.

…

Not wanting to be breaking windows, Becca crept around the back of the building. There had to be a door somewhere…

Darting around, she crawled both over and under a few boxcars that were under repairs, and made her way up to the first door she saw. As capable as she was of sneaking, tonight she was too cross to do so. She had always hated trains—something about the way they vibrated and wobbled along the tracks annoyed her, and even in the Monster World, she took care to avoid them.

This infiltration would be done her way: fast, to the point, and if she had to clobber a few workers on the way, oh well! She was tough enough to take them on.

She squatted underneath a window and peeked through…the lights were on, and it looked like someone had been in recently. The room appeared to be some sort of office. It was a more rustic style then the average office, with wooden furniture and miniature train models crisscrossing the room. Papers were strewn about in a terrible mess—on the desk, floor, and posted on clipboards which hung along one wall.

"Whoever's place this is, they must be a train-obsessed nerd." Becca gazed around to be sure the room was empty. To get a clear view, she had to fully stand up. That was when she finally noticed an overweight man slumped over the desk, fast asleep. "Great. Things just got _so_ much easier!" she whispered to herself with sarcasm.

No matter. If he woke up, she could just knock him out again with the frying pan. There was a strong possibility of train schedules being in an office; of that, she had no doubt. She sauntered nonchalantly up to the door and picked it open with the knife. The sudden light made her blink; the hallway brought up a flashback to the hotel infiltration back in Yellowstone Park. This train station had a similar feel, only the décor was more railroad-themed. A few doors branched off from here, but she took the first one on the left, where the sleeping office worker was. All those clipboards hanging on the wall would be her first start.

Since the door was ajar, she slipped in quietly. The man's snores were more annoying than Suzie's: loud enough to bounce off the walls! Becca held her frying pan high as a precaution and kept half an eye on him as she examined the clipboards.

Just as she thought: train schedules. All of them freights, perfect for stowing away in. Skimming the papers, Becca read many different routes, travelling all over the eastern and southern states. There were lists of all the cargo, and how many cars each engine was pulling. She soon came to realize a problem, though.

"Isn't anything bound for Louisiana?" she glanced out the window at the vast yard. There had to be dozens of trains sitting out there. "And how the hell are we supposed to find it in that? Every car looks the same!"

She grumbled in displeasure. A shuffle of papers made her turn around—the overweight office man was stirring. The first instinct was to simply knock him out, but to her disdain, a pair of booted feet was heard coming down the hall.

 _Yikes! Cornered!_ Becca saw a shadow appearing as the new stranger approached…she could've taken the frying pan to his head!...But at the last second, she changed her mind. Perhaps these people could give her some information. As the door swung open, she dove into the space between it and pressed herself against the wall.

"Frank, get up!" the new stranger said as he thumped into the room. "The car knocker finally finished repairs."

"Huh? Oh…" the dozing man jerked awake and rustled papers onto the floor. "Which engine was he fixing, again?"

"You really should stop sleeping on the job. It was the 'Hornet.' Remember?"

"Oh, right. Great! Those hogheads have been eager to get a move on. How soon can they leave?"

"Skipper said everything'll be ready in an hour, no problem…"

Becca pressed harder into the wall, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. _Car knocker? Hogheads? Skipper? Must be railway lingo._

"…and the repairs really messed things up. That freight is already a day behind," the office man was saying. "Let's see…it's heading to Idaho, right? It'll never make it by Saturday."

The man with the boots sighed. "Try again, Frank. _Mississippi_ is where they're going! You really outta tidy up this place. It's amazing you still have a job around here."

"Right, right. Just let me get organized, first…"

Becca thought a moment. _Mississippi…that's only a state away from where Randall is._ The freight these men were speaking of had to be parked nearby! There would be engineers around it, if it was being prepped for travel, and would be rolling out of the yard in an hour…she tried listening for more information, but nothing more useful came up. She remained as still as a board behind the door, as the men wrapped up their boring chat.

"Looks like that's everything in order, then." Concluded the sleepy office man, handing over the paperwork. "You go round up those hoggers and get ready to leave. If another shipment is late, I'm in trouble! My record is already bad enough." He said this jokingly.

The other man chuckled and left, his boots thumping noisily. Becca heard him move far out of earshot down the hall. He hadn't shut the door behind him—she went stiff upon hearing the office guy walking over to close it. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity _. I should've picked a better hiding spot…_

When a fat-fingered hand gripped the door's edge, she raised the frying pan in a threatening stance. The element of surprise could really come in handy sometimes.

The man shut the door, saw the intruder behind it, and froze. His eyes went enormously wide and he made an odd girlish squeak of a scream. Before he could let out a real one, Becca grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled it tight. "OK, listen up and answer me: Where can I find the 'Hornet' train bound for Mississippi? _Where is it_?"

The man sputtered incoherently. Coming face to face with a green, gold-speckled, angry sea monster was not a part of his normal shift.

Becca pulled on his collar tighter. "C'mon, spit it out! I haven't got all night."

"J-just outside the warehouse. On-on-the south-facing tracks! B-big yellow engine!" he managed to stutter.

"Thanks!" she let him go and took a precise swing with the frying pan. CLANG!

…

"You did _what_?!" Bernard practically bellowed.

"Relax, the man is a scatterbrain. I could tell just by listening to him." Becca twirled the pan around on one finger, very satisfied with herself. "I put him back at his desk. He'll have a splitting headache later, but he'll think it was just a dream. You know how adults are; they're not as likely to believe in monsters as the kids. I hit him pretty hard; maybe he won't even remember!"

"That was still stupid," said Suzie. "What if the engineers are searching the train for stowaways right now?"

"There hasn't been any sort of alarm. Look, they're all acting totally normal."

The group had already located the south-bound 'Hornet' and was hiding amongst the shadows. They were waiting for just the right time to sneak aboard. Yard workers and engineers scurried about from time to time, but none of them seemed worried or alarmed. Word of green sea monsters didn't seem to have spread; perhaps the office man was still unconscious.

The monsters had set their sights on a boxcar that was being loaded with mysterious wooden crates. Much of the rest of the train carried grain, and other dry goods. It would be a good opportunity to stock up on food. All they had to do was wait for the workers to face the other way. But they had been spying for a while and time was running out. With the train nearly loaded, their ride may end up leaving without them.

"We won't get aboard at all if we don't do something. Someone think up a distraction!" Becca pointed out.

Bernard was getting frustrated, too. There were at least five people to contend with, and the open door of the boxcar was never left unattended. He decided to take matters into his own hands. He rummaged in the gravel until he found a large stone. "Get ready to run," he hurled the rock as hard as he could. His strength sent it quite a ways off, and it hit the side of a metal boxcar with a loud 'GONG.' The sound rang out to grab all the workers' attentions. Thinking something was wrong with another car, a few people rushed off to see what the matter was.

" _Now_! Go, go!" Bernard hissed at the others. The monsters clutched their gear, making sure nothing on their backpacks would rattle or drop. To reach the boxcar, they had to cross an open patch of gravel. Their footsteps came loud and crunchy, but that really couldn't be helped. Speed was of the essence. Bernard hurled more rocks to keep the workers distracted; he was the last to climb aboard to safety.

So far, the plan was working.

The boxcar was packed full of wooden crates. Towers and walls of them formed hiding places all around, but it was incredibly dark. Naomi coughed as she asked Bernard for the flashlight, but he wouldn't hear of it. "We wait until we're really safe and this train starts moving. Everyone hide, and for goodness' sake, try not to cough, Naomi. I know it's hard, but we'll be found otherwise."

Naomi nodded and felt around in the dark until finding a tiny space in the corner. She ducked out of sight. The sisters did the same, up against another wall. From here, a shaft of moonlight beamed onto some of the crates, allowing them to read the labels. Most of them contained dry goods like sacks of flour and pounds of rice. The sisters had a feeling most of the stuff in here would not be very appetizing.

Bernard had more trouble hiding. He quickly stacked a few crates atop of one another to make a higher wall. It wasn't until the last second did he get out of sight, as the train workers came around the corner.

"Nothing," one of them complained to his coworkers. "Told you it was nothing, which is amazing, considering this engine's history! C'mon, let's get this car loaded. We're running behind again."

The hidden monsters held their breaths as several humans climbed inside to pile up more crates. As they got back to work, a rumble shuddered across the floor like a mini earthquake. Subtle vibrations began and Becca shuddered along with them; she would much rather be out stealing a car then hunkering down in this metal prison. She and her travelling companions did not move a muscle. Hopefully the workers were too rushed to notice some of the crates were in different spots then before.

"How many left?"

"That's the last of them. Sounds like the Skipper is ready to leave," someone said, commenting on the engine firing up.

"Think it'll break down again?" said another voice.

"Nah. We patched it up pretty good, but with this old train, I wouldn't be surprised."

The workers all hopped out and proceeded to slide the huge door shut. The horrible scraping sound of metal on metal had never been more welcoming to the stowaways. Bernard had a brief concern of getting the door open again when it was time to jump out. But he relaxed when he heard a set of flimsy locks slide into place. If this train was an aged one, it wouldn't be hard breaking open a boxcar door.

Everyone came out of their hiding spots once their eyes adjusted to the dark.

"Finally, we're outta here," Naomi wheezed. She sounded awful. She took a minute to let out the coughs she had been suppressing. They sounded even more damp and painful now, and made her high-pitched voice very low. With all the wood crates in here, it was vital she try to keep her fire-breathing under control. All the walking from the previous day and all this night had truly worn her out.

Bernard pushed aside more crates to clear a space for an indoor camp of sorts. "You'd better get some rest, Naomi. This trip is being rough on you; I can tell," he dug in his knapsack for some food, and pulled out a hunk of cold venison and the last jar of Amish-made strawberry-rhubarb jam. "This won't be the biggest meal, I'm afraid, but we have to ration out our food while we're in here."

"Just how long is that going to be? I don't want to stay in this hunk of rolling metal any longer then I have to." Becca lost her balance and tumbled over as the boxcar jerked suddenly. Everyone sensed the train moving, pulling slowly out of the yard.

"You're sure this thing is headed to Mississippi?" Suzie unfolded a blanket and tried to sit comfortably on the hard floor.

"'Course I'm sure. I interrogated Office Boy quickly, but effectively, didn't I? I'd never make such a huge mistake and put us on the wrong train."

"Good. Then we'll be there in no time! Then it's only one more state to go until we find Randall."

"Right. We can try and hitch another ride, but be prepared to walk. Anything can happen," Bernard felt Naomi's forehead to check her fever. She sat miserably with her back to a crate, eating slowly like a robot. She was shivering with another spell of chills, and hugging her jacket closer around her. Every so often, she would cough up mucus much to the others' worry. Bernard furrowed his brow like a concerned parent. "You're still a little warm…I don't like this. Whatever you've got, we've got to get something to help, and soon."

Suzie wondered if Bernard had ever dealt with anything like this in the past. Surely his son had had some sort of illness like this before. It couldn't hurt to ask. "Has Nicholas ever had anything like this? Don't you know of any home remedies that might help?"

Bernard shook his head. "Nothing of this scale. He was always a healthy kid; it was rare when he caught something even simple, like a cold."

"Well, whatever's wrong with you, Princess—be it bronchitis, pneumonia, or whatever—if you're contagious, it won't be long until we're all sick."

"Very encouraging, Becca." Bernard said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm just saying what's on everyone's mind."

"Well, stop, please. It's ruining morale," Suzie asked as politely as possible. "I know you don't like trains, but try to put up with it, OK? It's not for very long."

"But—"

"If you don't stop it, I'll tell you every corny joke I know! I will!" Suzie grinned mischievously. She knew her sister was only nervous about a potential outbreak of illness within the group. Of course tough Becca would not admit it; only mask it.

"OK, OK, I'll shut up," Becca relented. She sat down with the others to eat some rations. "…Look at us, though: Reduced to rationing, stuck in a metal box and all of us bound to get sick sooner or later. Things can't get much worse, can they?"

"Don't fret. Randall can help," Suzie was always the optimistic one. "He can find medicine, no problem. Even you admitted to that."

"Medicine that's meant for _humans_ , remember? It may not even work."

"Girls, that's enough," Bernard was not in the mood to break up an argument. "It's been a long day and night. We should all be getting some shut-eye, so finish your dinners and save the debate for the morning."

But Suzie ignored the request and went on. "He said he'd be in the swamps outside New Orleans, didn't he? He might be hard to find…Maybe living in a tree, somewhere." She realized.

"We'll find that criminal liar," frowned Becca. "I swear, when I see him, I'm going to punch him in the face for not telling us the truth! But wherever he is, I bet he's faring way better than us."

Everyone nodded in agreement. It was obvious to them that the lizard could take care of himself. The swamps suited him; out of all places in the Human World, they were likely the only place he came close to enjoying. No one had any way of knowing he was in far worse shape than they believed…

 **This was a fun chapter to write; I got to research train lingo. lol. Up next: the group reunites and the next arch of the story begins. With illness or serious injuries, things aren't going to be easy. Stay tuned for more! And thanks for sticking with me for this long! Hope you're enjoying the story. :)**


	22. Reuniting

**Hi there! Lots of positive reviews have come in, and it's extremely motivating. Hope I didn't keep anyone waiting too long, so here's a nice, super-long part to read after being so patient! :) Here, the group reunites after a few weeks apart and tries to figure out a way to obtain much-needed medicines. Then, the next phase of their adventures begin. Enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-One: Reuniting

Randall barely had the strength to climb down from the tree that first day. The ordeal had left him exhausted, and he mostly slept at first. During the hours spent awake, he did his best not to move around too much. For one thing, it was uncomfortable, and for another, he would heal faster by remaining stationary. There was a stash of food stored up in the hideout, and a couple of water bottles to sustain him. With nothing to help relieve the pain, and a limited amount of antiseptic, he was slightly concerned. Resting and waiting to heal were all he could do.

Of course it _would_ start raining mere hours after the surgery. He wrapped up the wound to keep it as dry as possible.

On the second day, he was more alert. But staying still with nothing to stay amused or pass the time was incredibly boring! He changed to the color of any insect or bird that flew by, copying the various patterns and textures. It was like a game. He would practice with the slingshot, still never leaving the tree branch. There was a moment when he made himself invisible, just to see if being injured affected the ability. It didn't, but he was surprised to find the lopsided stitches disappeared along with him. That was weird…maybe it was because the thread was sewn into the skin, essentially becoming a part of him, sort of. That was his best theory, anyway. Since the stitches vanished along with the rest of the gunshot, it was nice not to able to look at the wound at all.

Not until the end of the third day did Randall realize something was wrong. Instead of feeling better, the pain was only getting worse. The wound swelled up, and the surrounding scales were a dark, alarming violet-red. Streaks of violet-red scales extended from the stitches, like creepy spider's legs. He was still low on energy, as was expected, but he felt his head that evening and was shocked to discover it was unnaturally warm. A fever confirmed his suspicion: the gunshot wound was infected.

"But how? I disinfected it every _hour_ , practically! Never used the same bandage twice…" he ranted to no one.

By now, he felt capable of climbing down from the tree, albeit slowly and carefully. The sun had been out today, and gave the swamp a subtle golden glow as it set. Already the buzz of insects filled the twilight to no end; endless opportunities for Randall's shape-shifting game, but he wasn't taking much notice of the insects this evening. He sat by the stream near the base of his hideout, drinking water while trying to figure out what to do. The first aid supplies were strewn about. The bottle of antiseptic was almost empty, and he smashed it into the tree roots with as much strength as he could muster.

"Some help you've been! Thanks for nothing!...oh, great, now I'm talking to inanimate objects. Infected, a fever, stitches, and the gators are growing restless…" he eyed some suspicious ripples on the water's surface. The river was within sight, but its residents were out of harm's way. For now. "What else can happen?"

With the emergency food slowly being eaten up, he had to start hunting soon. How that would happen in his current state, he would figure out. He'd have to, since there were no other monsters around to help.

He sighed. "Hunting will solve my starving problem, but not an infection…"

…

He was still weak from blood loss, and decided to wait until his strength returned before heading into New Orleans again. But in the days that followed, the pain grew until he found it an effort just to stand up straight. Running was next to impossible, which he would certainly have to do at some point during a supply raid. Even climbing was hard. The fever came and went, but was never gone for long. He noticed his pulse was behaving erratically; often it was very fast, even while he was resting; other times it was normal. A sure sign he wasn't improving.

He wasn't sure what o do. Obviously he needed help with the next supply raid, but to steal what? What kind of medicine did he need to look for? He didn't know much about injuries like this—in the Monster World, it was a rare day when he was ill or injured enough to go see a doctor. How was he supposed to venture into the city like this?

He resolved to try that night. It was a gamble, but what did he have to lose?

In the meantime, he needed to hunt. Days of eating emergency stashes of fungi and roots did nothing to satiate his appetite. He would have to use the old sneak-attack style, shooting from a tree to conserve energy. A squirrel or bird was doleful compared to a huge alligator feast, but better than nothing. He gathered his double-barrel slingshot and a pouch of rocks. A few newly constructed gadgets had been added to the weapon; now it resembled more of a crossbow and had far more power and range then before. Sometimes it would kill birds on a single hit. Not bad for something built from scratch.

He stayed off the ground the whole time. Running into more hunters or even gators that were hungrier than he was would not be fun. It was hard climbing through the branches. He had to be careful not to strain any muscles. An entire hour passed by the time he found a good spot for sniping. High enough for a good view yet concealed enough to stay hidden. As a precaution, he blended into a muddy green color to match the moss.

Waiting around was not his favorite hunting strategy. You had to pay attention to your surroundings, always be listening, and all the while try not to get impatient. He squinted through the leaves, poised with the slingshot/crossbow contraption with all hands on it, ready to fire at anything.

For the longest time, only insects were heard. That really drove him crazy…He had never been a patient monster, and was never going to be, but did he really have to put up with insects buzzing in his ears this whole time?

A bird flew from a tree branch, and he fired twice in quick succession. The creature appeared as a fluttering yellow blur. Having bad eyesight was a handicap sometimes. The first stone missed the target completely, but the second whipped by the bird's head, close enough to disrupt its flight pattern. The creature recovered, though, and disappeared from view back into the trees.

Randall cursed under his breath and reloaded the weapon. If only he had his glasses!

After a couple more minutes of trying to be patient, another bird emerged. On a branch across the clearing, it hopped around to peck at the bark in search of bugs to eat. Randall waited until it stood still before shooting. A direct hit to the head brought it down instantly. Retrieving a kill wasn't easy today. Randall had to climb to the ground carefully to avoid tearing stitches, but couldn't dawdle too much; some other hungry animal was likely to get to the fresh kill before he did. He bagged what turned out to be a puny little thing. The bird was more like a snack then a full meal. So it was back into the trees for another round. "The things I have to do to eat around here…"

This time, he also kept an ear out for ground animals. Sometimes a badger or water rat would make an appearance, and they always kept him sustained for a day or so. His ill-patience was eventually rewarded. A quiet rustle in the bushes caught his attention. Perched on the branch like a statue, the crossbow was raised and he took a single shot in an attempt to force the creature out of hiding. He expected for a low growl or hiss to sound off. What he heard instead was:

"Yeow! What the—?!"

He jolted upright at the voice. Weeks and weeks of waiting, and he recognized it as one of Becca's upcoming temper eruptions. He came close to smiling a genuine smile. They were here… _They're finally here_! _Took them long enough._ A part of him had feared they didn't intend to ever come.

The unexpectedness of the cry had made him freeze in surprise. He watched through the mossy veils as Becca stumbled into view. She came into the clearing rubbing her shoulder, and looked around wildly. Her furious features made Randall reconsider making himself known…facing her wrath was never fun. _Better stay put for a minute…_

"Randall Boggs, did you just hit me with a rock?! _Where are you_?"

"Becca, wait!" Suzie was next to emerge from the bushes. "You're not well, you shouldn't be running—"

"My shoulder is sure to bruise because of that! He's nearby. Who else would be using _rocks_ as ammo?" Becca paused to let out a series of coughs.

At this news, it was Suzie's turn to look around. Her gaze went up to the moss-draped branches. That was the only place to search for a sniper. Because of his muddy-green camouflage, it would take a while for her to find him. During this time, Becca's coughs escalated into a full fit of them. They sounded damp and painful, and caused her to double over and grab her knees. Randall observed the way she rose up: shakily and slowly, with little energy. She wasn't exactly looking well.

He noticed Suzie was looking at him, finally spotting him through the foliage. He didn't want to come down until he thought it safe to do so. Although Becca was ill, she still was mighty furious.

Bernard and Naomi appeared behind them. Like the sisters, they were laden with stuffed backpacks of gear and supplies, smudged with dirt, mud, and overall grime of the swamp, and wore light jackets despite the humidity of the day. It seemed everyone had chosen their own weapon for the bout of travelling. Of course Becca's trusty shotgun was slung across her back, and Suzie was carrying both pistols and several knives. Bernard had his fishing spears, but wherever he had found a baseball bat, Randall could only guess. Naomi seemed to have constructed her own bow and arrows—flimsy things they were. Right away, he could tell something was very wrong. She was using her bow as a walking stick and Bernard's arm to support herself. She looked ill enough to keel over at a moment's notice. Randall had never seen her so pale; she too, struggled to hold back a terrible cough. He watched as they joined Suzie and Becca, wondering what was amiss.

Suzie and Becca were still watching him expectantly. To break the ice of this unsettling reunion, he reverted back to purple and climbed down tentatively. It was hard to believe they actually came. Everyone seemed to want him to make the first move.

"…Hi," he said, lingering in the shadow of the tree trunk. "So…what kept you?"

No one spoke at first. This wasn't a plan, running into each other here in some random clearing. Naomi and Suzie seemed somewhat relieved to see him, and Bernard had the look of a parent who was about to give a scolding to a rebellious teenager. However, Becca walked up, took a sharp inhale, and flat-out punched him square in the face! He shook his head, dazed.

"Sorry. Had to get that out of my system. You deserve it, anyway, for the lies and for shooting me just now!"

 _Granted, that's true…_ he thought. He rubbed the side of his face and shrugged. The impact of the punch had made him turn the same forest green, gold-speckled palette as her. He shook it off and waited to hear what everyone else had to say.

"You're looking well," Suzie saw that he seemed healthy and strong. "It's good to have you back; we missed you."

"Not all of us," said Becca hoarsely.

Bernard went very serious, ready to Randall a quick telling to. "Let's get straight to business: don't try and hide anything from us, anymore, alright? Because you didn't tell us about the past, you're going to have to earn our trust back. I won't be able to trust you one hundred percent for some time after all that has happened. This is your second chance, so don't blow it. Or else I just might kick you out permanently." He stood at his full height and made sure all his angler-fish teeth were bared.

Randall nodded once, slightly intimidated. "Understood." The man certainly knew how to make a message sink in.

Bernard noticed the bandages wrapped around his middle. "What happened there?'

"Hunters saw me."

"Is it serious?" When Randall didn't immediately answer, he prompted. "Well?"

"…It's gotten infected, but it's…manageable."

Naomi still hadn't said anything. In fact, she looked like she was about to faint. Her three eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn't been getting enough rest. When she leaned more heavily on Bernard's arm, he quickly asked, "Is there any place safe to camp? We've been on the move for days since jumping the train."

"My hideout's this way. It's safe enough." He began leading them off through the swamp.

"'Safe enough?' What is that supposed to mean?" Naomi piped up. It seemed she wasn't sick enough to cease with a barrage of complaints.

…

"…so you stowed away on a freight train? Not bad, for a crazy idea. Must've been boring, though. How long were you on it?"

"Little more than a day," Suzie was explaining. "Once we got to Mississippi, we ditched it and walked all the way here. Old-fashioned and slow, but at least we made it. How did _you_ manage to get here after leaving us, anyway?"

Randall took a bit of raw bird and swallowed. "Passenger train. I would've taken a freight, but I thought the passenger would have an excellent choice of good food. Which it did; best stowaway plan ever."

The whole gang had set up the tents at the base of his hideout tree. With the campfire in place and everyone having lunch around it, it was as if nothing had changed, save for the swampy surroundings. The monsters were telling quick catchup stories about their time spent apart.

The quartet's time in Ohio had been rougher than an average autumn. With four mouths to feed, some days didn't have as many meals as others, and with Naomi being ill for so many of those weeks, she wasn't able to do much hunting. Of course Becca hunted most often, but only small game came as the prizes. Bernard's fishing skills and Suzie's foraging were the group's main source of food. The occasional raid in an Amish home helped, but they were not nearly as successful with the best infiltrator gone. On average, they were faring alright. No one had been starving, at least.

"Have you been feeling any better?" Randall asked Naomi, who had finished a small amount of food and was holding her head miserably. She opened her mouth to answer, but a bombardment of damp chest coughs came out instead. Everyone jumped back to avoid the fireballs.

"No. Only worse." Bernard answered for her. "On the ride to Mississippi, the fever hardly went down at all. She's getting weaker every day."

"And now Becca is showing the same symptoms!" Suzie added.

Becca crossed her arms defiantly. "So what? I can tough it out. We don't know what the hell this bug is, but it'll pass."

Randall thought for a moment. All of these symptoms—the coughing, the chills, fevers, and weakness, rang a few bells…"It's pneumonia." They all stared. Having considered this possibility before, they were doubtful. He explained, "I'm sure of it. My brother and I had it once before, when we were kids. All the signs are there…we had to take antibiotics, and even then, it took a while to recover from. It _can_ be contagious. So, Becca, you must've just caught it. Congratulations."

"Thanks, that's good to know," she rolled her eyes with sarcasm. "Enough about us. How have you been passing the time out here with your friends, the alligators?"

Randall's tales were full of triumphs of building new and better hunting weapons, finding a place to live, evading frog catchers and gator hunters, and sneaking into New Orleans to hear its music and marvel at the sights. He bragged about how he was now capable of taking down the biggest alligators larger then he was. All of his solitary stories were good until he got to the details of the gunshot incident.

"Exactly when were you shot?" Bernard stopped him after he explained how he had managed to extract the bullet. "The more infected it is, the more trouble you could be facing."

"A couple days ago."

"Show us, please."

Randall hesitated, but unwrapped the bandages around his middle. Naomi cringed at the grisly sight. "Ugh! That's disgusting," she turned away, about to be sick.

"Oh, that looks painful," Suzie observed the swollen violet-red scales and tendrils streaking out from it. "How are you even walking around like that? You're going to need medicine, too."

"Don't you think I've tried that, already? It didn't work."

"Then obviously we need to find more powerful stuff," said Bernard. "Now is a time when we need each other's help more than ever."

"What should we do?" Naomi wheezed.

"A hospital is the only place. Randall, how far away is the city? Do you know where the hospital is?"

"New Orleans is about five miles from here, but the hospital is pretty deep in the downtown area. If you're suggesting I head out for a raid, I'm gonna need help. The shot hasn't affected my 'disappearing act,' but it's sure making it hard to move around. If any of you feel up to the challenge, by all means, volunteer." he measured up Bernard's size. "You'd be spotted in an instant, Bernard."

"True, true…OK, then…" he stood up to pace around the campfire. "Clearly, Naomi can't go, and Becca, I don't want you going, either."

"Why the hell not?! Randy, here, has a _flesh wound_ and he gets to go!"

"Only because he's the best at sneaking. Knowing you, you'd probably bring along that shotgun and start an uproar! Besides, if you don't get some rest, the illness will really take its toll on you. We've been travelling for days, and Naomi has gotten ten times worse. I don't want to see you in the same boat."

Becca pouted. "You can't be thinking Suzie can head out…"

Naomi seemed to want no part of this argument, and merely listened with interest. Being a neutral party meant not making things any more complicated than they already were.

All this talk made Suzie quite irritated—nobody had any faith in her when it came to these dangerous missions. Just because she had a bad sense of direction didn't mean she was completely useless. While Bernard and her sister argued over the matter, she scooted closer to Randall to ask his thoughts. "You're sure you can head out with those stitches?"

"Positive."

"Then I want to come! If we make it back in one piece, with medicine or whatever it is we have to find, it'll prove to the others I can be of some use around here. Becca pretty much hates the air you breathe; if you keep me safe, it'll prove to her that you can be trusted. It might make Bernard see sense, too."

Randall knew the girl wasn't the best at raiding, and was reluctant to agree.

She went on. "I'll sum it up for you: We head out, find medicine, return here, Naomi gets better, Becca gets better, you heal up, Bernard quits stressing about it all, everyone sees that I can do this, and you get a bit of trust put in you. Don't you see? It's a win-win for everybody."

"Hmm…you do make a valid point."

…

That evening, Becca gave a strong warning. She was fiercely overprotective of her sister, and demanded Randall keep her safe at all costs. "…And if you don't, Randall, you'll have to give me a good reason not to tear your head off!" Bernard and Naomi were a little worried, having to send him off on such a serious mission while injured. Normally, Randall despised pity—it was such a pathetic emotion. But to his surprise, he didn't mind. After all he had been through it was a relief to know he wasn't completely hated.

"OK, Little Sister," Becca pulled Suzie aside when she and Randall were ready to head out. "I want you to keep close to him, and not wander off on your own, alright?"

"Don't worry! Nothing will go wrong…unless this missions turns out to be a flop." Suzie hurried to catch up to Randall. She called over her shoulder to her sister. "Wish us luck. We'll see you later! I love you!"

"Love you too. Be careful!" Becca called back, lowering her hard nature for a moment.

Randall couldn't move very fast with the wound, so the trek to New Orleans took a little longer. By the time they reached it, it would be past sunset. Suzie didn't mind; she let him set the pace and lightened the mood by telling more stories of all that had happened in the last few weeks. At times, she would tell of days of struggle, raiding the Amish farms for food and tools. Other times, she drove him crazy with more corny jokes. "So, 'When does Friday come before Thursday?'"

Randall took a wild guess. Her chattering was passing the time, anyway. "In the dictionary?"

"That's right! You're getting good at these. Here's one more; it's a tough one. 'What is the longest word in the dictionary?'"

He thought about this for a while. Of course, a dozen possible answers came to him, but there had to be a punchline somewhere. "What's the catch?"

"'Smiles.' Because there's a mile between each 'S.'"

"Good one," A sudden wave of pain forced him to stop and lean against a tree for a minute.

Suzie watched as he checked the bandages. She winced upon seeing the lopsided stitches. "I can't believe you actually did that to yourself—extracting the bullet, I mean. Do you think there'll be painkillers in wherever it is we're breaking into?"

"Yes, but don't get your hopes up. Any medicines are sure to be locked up tight. The big problem won't be getting into the hospital—it'll be finding the actual stuff we need." The wave of pain passed and he stood up straight. The sunset was just giving off its last light; it would soon be dark enough to go sneaking through the streets. "We'll be there soon. Are you a good tree-climber? That's the best way to get across the river."

"Not the greatest, but I'll manage."

They decided to cross the river while it was light enough to see the branches that crisscrossed over the water. Once they made it to the opposite shore, they would hide out amongst the wild shoreline until the dark of night came. During the climb, Randall often had to stop and rest. Moving around and hauling himself through the trees required the use of his muscles; right now, the ones around his midsection weren't exactly in working order. Suzie lent him a hand when he stumbled.

He sighed with relief after scrambling down to the overgrown bank. He took the time to check the stitches again. Kneeling down, he removed the bandages completely—the sight was not a pleasant one; if anything, it was looking worse than it did this morning. The surrounding scaly flesh had turned an even darker shade of violet-red with infection. Even he was amazed at the seriousness of it.

He took a few sips of water. The temptation to use water to clean the wound was great, but of course that may only do more harm. He gathered up the bandages and stuffed them into a pocket of the one backpack they had with them.

"Hey, you should keep those on," Suzie began.

"It's the only way to get around unseen. They won't disappear along with me." He looked out over the residential homes of New Orleans. "It's still too light to head in; we'll hide out here a little longer. Brace yourself; this mission is going to be tough."

…

Since the hospital was in the heart of the city, there were a lot of blocks to cover. They developed a clever way to get there without being seen. Randall would scout ahead, invisible, to be sure the coast was clear, while Suzie hid with the backpack in an alley or under a street bench. She darted form hiding spot to hiding spot whenever Randall reappeared to give the signal. It was hard not to make any noise. At every dash, something on the backpack rattled, or she tripped clumsily. Sometimes she panicked in tense situations like this, and nothing could be worse than running around a city, heading straight for a people-packed hospital.

Randall frequently leaned against a streetlamp for a breath. It took all his concentration to remain invisible, for the pain of the infection was very distracting. But it was vital they kept on the move. Late at night it may be, but there were still people walking the streets, and more cars than either monster was anticipating.

"How are you holding up?" Suzie asked when she joined him at the next spot. Both were staying low, underneath the front porch of a house. They were in another residential area, so the danger wasn't too high just yet. Apart from the occasional dog in a yard, there wasn't much to pose a threat.

"Fine," he said, emotionless. It was getting hard not to wince, though. "There's still a long way to go, so keep up, alright?"

"Have you been this far into town before?"

"Yep. I haven't just been hanging out in trees all these weeks, you know. There's been loads of time to learn where everything is around here."

Suzie wanted to say she was sorry he had endured such a long punishment. She had felt sorry for the lizard's solitude. It couldn't be easy, being alone and forced to fend for yourself without any hope of help. She was amazed Bernard had been alone for years and years before coming across her and Becca; he was the one who formed their little band of survivors in the first place. Naomi wouldn't have lasted long in Arizona had they not found her, and for Randall to be on his own for a year was still a remarkable feat. And he was the one who took a lot of risks when it came to surviving: hunting the most dangerous animals and practically putting his life on the line just to raid for supplies. It was almost admirable.

They were about to head out into a more business-filled part of town. She waited until Randall reappeared some ways down the street, and waved to her, signaling the coast was clear.

A mailbox was the next hiding spot, and the end of the residential neighborhood. From here on out, they would need to be on high alert.

…

Many busy intersections caused the two monsters to backtrack. It was nearly midnight, and cars still drove around, crowding the roads as if it were broad daylight, still. The trollies operated as well, carrying pedestrians who were enjoying the nightlife of New Orleans. Lights from all these vehicles and headlights posed a problem for the monsters. They hid behind a dumpster in an alleyway to survey what lay ahead.

"Oh…there're so many people! Don't they have homes to go to this time of night?"

"You'd be surprised at how many restaurants are open this late. A lot of them have live music and food to die for. It's all to draw in the crowds."

"Huh. Must be stuff like gumbo and barbecued shrimp—I heard it's popular in this part of the country, if I remember those Human Civilization classes from school," she shuffled closer to the alleyway's exit. "If the hospital is through all that, how do we get there? I bet a city like this will stay crowded long after dark."

Randall pointed at the fire escape right above them. "The rooftops are our best bet," He gave her a boost up to grab the ladder, while he crawled up the building wall onto the metalwork of the stairs. He signaled for Suzie to stay low whenever they passed any windows. During the climb, the metal had a habit of creaking ominously.

"Wow, look at the city!" Suzie proclaimed upon viewing the lit landscape of buildings. Wafts of happy people conversing on the sidewalk below could be heard and distant strings of music that could be coming from anywhere.

"This isn't the time to sightsee. Let's get to where we need to go, already. C'mon, I know the fastest way; well, it's kind of long for a 'fast way,' but there's less chance of getting caught."

The 'safe route' involved lots of jumping across alleyways, climbing onto balconies, scaling steep rooftops, and shooing away lots of stray cats that found the monsters the most interesting things they'd ever seen. There was one calico in particular who followed them across six balconies. It meowed constantly, endangering the mission. Suzie managed to shoo it off eventually.

The animals weren't their biggest problem. Every so often, someone would pop out of nowhere through some balcony door, or stick their head through a window for a breath of night air. Suzie was very anxious about this, so Randall took on the chore of signaling her when to duck down. Their only hiding places were thigs like giant decorative pots, and balcony deck chairs. He resisted the urge to attack random people—he had a feeling that someone in this city was responsible for shooting him. Whoever it was, there was a slim chance of finding him. He would have to try and push vengeful thoughts aside; there was no point brooding. Revenge was pointless—what had happened had already happened, and he was busy dealing with the consequences.

On one rooftop, Suzie squatted behind yet another pot. She stayed motionless, trying not to tremble. Randall crouched beside it, waiting until the intervening human went back inside. The man had come up out of nowhere, and was leaning against the railing to admire the nighttime view of the street, all while sipping a late-night cup of hot chocolate. Randall was close enough to smell it—how long had it been since he had had a hot chocolate? It was hard to remember…he could tell Suzie was distracted by the scent, too.

 _That's enough…stay focused!_ He ordered himself. _Find the hospital, get in, get out, and back to the swamp._ He would have to keep a close eye on Suzie, which would make the mission all the more difficult. As much as he needed the help, he had to keep her safe, too. Becca would kill him if he didn't. That punch was still throbbing.

…

The hospital was very big. It was a modern building, surrounded by an avenue of trees and simple green gardens for patients to enjoy the fresh air. No flowers grew this late in the year, but the place was still green and fresh-smelling. The building itself was painted a boring beige color with green trim. 'Emergency' and other signs were illuminated in red, and glowed brightly in the darkness. Many windows were lit up by indoor florescent lights, which made the monsters worry. Just how many people worked the night shift?

Suzie followed Randall through the parking lot towards the patients' gardens, gaping up at the windows as they went. "There's no way I can get in there unseen, Randall, unless it's through the ventilation ducts."

Randall had gone with his wound exposed for quite a long time, now. The pain was starting to dig in, and he was doubling over gradually without realizing it. Suzie noticed, though, and helped him over to a shielded spot behind a tree. "Still holding up alright?"

"I'll live…OK, I can get in and snoop around. You'll be fine out here?"

"Hang on, I'm supposed to be helping!"

"And I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble. Becca is sure to strangle me, otherwise."

"Well, soon she's gonna be too sick to stand up without falling over! We have to find medicine fast, so I'm helping, whether you like it or not, Randall!" she snapped. "We'll look for disguises or something. There must be a laundry room full of scrubs, somewhere. We're not even sure where to look, and this could take hours. A disguise will help me get around, while you do the tricky stuff, like getting into restricted areas, stealing keys, that sort of thing. Now let's move!"

Randall flinched in surprise at her sudden authority. He sincerely hoped she wasn't picking up her sister's habits. One ill-tempered McKeen sister was enough to deal with.

The duo's infiltration wasn't nearly as difficult as they expected. The first step was for Randall to find a suitable disguise for Suzie. Easy.

As the main entrance was a pair of automatic glass doors, he just stepped in front of them and walked in. The receptionist on night shift looked up when the doors ' _dinged_ ,' but shrugged off upon seeing nothing. Perhaps it was just a glitch. She returned to her fashion magazine without a second thought.

Feeling the cold, hard floor under his feet did feel strange. This place had a very solemn air about it, there were minimal pictures and décor in the corridors, and the florescent lights were slightly dimmed, probably because it was the middle of the night. Randall wandered the hall, reading signs to try and figure out where a laundry room might be. There didn't seem to be a ton of nurses or doctors around. Most patients were sure to be asleep in their rooms. With the lights dimmed, maybe, just maybe, Suzie could traverse the hallways…

He passed a few signs for various places on the ground floor: 'laboratory,' 'gift shop,' 'cafeteria'—it was only five minutes later when he found a bin of scrubs. The room he found to be quiet and unoccupied. He took the chance to relax and recover from the long spell of being camouflaged—it was quite draining after so long, and even more so with an ache in your side. He rummaged through a closet of clean, folded scrubs. There were also doctors' masks and hats—they would work at keeping Suzie's identity hidden. Her insistence on coming inside made him uneasy. If the girl insisted on helping, he would have to be doubly sure she didn't do anything foolish.

He crawled out the laundry room window, back into a different section of the gardens. It was a long crawl back to where Suzie was waiting. She seemed to have returned to her normal, sweet self during his absence, and was pleased with the findings.

"Perfect. How does it look?" she asked once her face and feelers were hidden. The surgical gown left her scaly arms bare, and her eel's tail was clearly visible, trailing behind her.

Randall doubted this would work, but replied, "If no one gets close, you'll be fine. C'mon, we can get in through the laundry window. There's a lazy receptionist at the front not doing her job, so the window is the best way."

They stayed low so as to avoid anyone who may be looking out from the higher floors. All the while, Randall stumbled along weakly. All this moving around was taking its toll, but he put on a stern face and refrained from stumbling as he led Suzie over to the window. _She and the others are already stressed out enough. Better tough this out until we make it back to the camp._

…

As predicted, the intense search for antibiotics was long and dangerous.

The biggest issue was just getting through the hallways. Security cameras were on every corner, and Suzie had to be careful not to walk too closely in front of them. Too close and her monstrous nature would be given away. Randall stayed invisible and managed to disable a few, but he couldn't climb the walls as quickly as he wanted to. He stayed a few steps ahead, warning Suzie when someone was coming down the hall. If any footsteps were heard, he whispered to her and ordered to turn down a different corridor, but not to run. "Remember, you're in disguise! Act as though you work here!"

"Right," Suzie complied, trying to act natural. She was tense, but doing a good job at not quivering out of fear.

In this way, the monsters sneaked into every room on the ground floor. There wasn't much in the way of antibiotics. The laboratory contained things like x-ray machines, which Randall found so fascinating he wanted to stay and figure out how to operate them. There were some locked cabinets, but none held what they were looking for. Suzie ended up being more of a help then Randall expected: to break through the locks, she would fiddle with them using a knife while he kept a lookout. If someone approached the room, he whispered for Suzie to hide until the person had left. They used this tactic in several rooms and were able to look through dozens of cabinets.

"Ugh, no antibiotics. Nothing but painkillers!" Suzie said in frustration upon rummaging through another cabinet.

"Take them; I could use some right about now."

She took a few jars and stuffed them into the backpack. "Here's another problem: we don't even know for sure what to grab! What kind of medicine does one take for pneumonia? Or infected gunshot wounds, for that matter?"

 _She's got a point, there._ He thought. None of their group had much experience with medicine. Not even Naomi, whose mother was a nurse. This single problem was driving Suzie insane with worry, so he tried to sound reassuring; if she didn't relax, there was sure to be disaster. "We'll just have to keep on searching. There're still loads of places to look."

They decided to use the stairwell instead of the elevator. Anyone might show up at random in an elevator. The duo moved fast; Randall reappeared so suddenly that Suzie yelped, her voice echoing off the walls, and he shushed her to keep quiet. Halfway to the second floor, they halted as the sound of strange voices reached their ears. The footsteps of nurses on night shift came closer, coming from the other side of the door. There was no place to hide, no time to run back downstairs…

Suzie whipped her head from door to staircase, debating where to run. Her disguise wasn't flawless enough to fool people at close proximity.

The approaching nurses were chatting about the day's patients—apparently there was an obnoxious fellow who had a tendency to throw food at nurses during lunchtime—the nurses'' faces came into view as they reached the second floor landing…

Randall thought fast. He scooped Suzie up with one arm, and jumped onto the wall, dragging her along with him to the space directly above the door frame. She held onto his neck to keep from slipping and held her breath.

The two nurses came into the stairwell, still chatting about their difficult patients of the day. They passed right under the monstrous intruders, completely oblivious.

Before the door swung shut, Randall slipped through via the wall, still carrying Suzie. It wasn't until the nurses' voices had faded away did he set her down. "Oh, man, that was too close!" she exclaimed. "How do you and the others do this so often without losing your cool?! I had a hard enough time back in the Amish homes. This is like a giant game of 'hide and seek.'"

"Nope. Just 'hide.'" He looked around at various signs to figure out where to go next.

The remainder of the epic search was just as unfortunate.

The second and upper floors had some patients roaming the halls, causing the monsters to wonder if Suzie's disguise was even worth it. From a distance, sure it would work, but with more people around? There was no way. Hiding on the ceiling was helping. At every turn, Randall would scoop Suzie up for the same stunt. The ceilings weren't exactly high, so it was only a matter of time until someone took notice.

The got into more rooms, one by one. Even the patient wards were raided in search of medicine. If they could only find a person who was also suffering from pneumonia! But there was no such luck.

Randall kept a lookout as Suzie broke into drawers and cabinets. She did find a couple of useful things: more various painkillers to try, and mild cold medications, fresh bandages and a heavy-duty first-aid kit, and some warm hospital blankets that would surely come in handy with winter approaching.

But there was nothing of greater importance.

Randall was getting frustrated. "Wherever these people hide antibiotics, it must be locked up tighter then a miser's purse. Let's try one more floor before heading back."

"No, we can't quit!" Suzie took off the hat and mask. She and Randall were in the final patient ward on the fifth floor. All around were sleeping people, recovering from injuries such as broken femurs or collarbones. With no luck anywhere else, coming into this room had been an act of desperation. There was nothing at all here particularly useful. "What about my sister? And Naomi is getting worse. And I can tell you're not doing so well, either. What if that's blood poisoning you've got? That won't heal on its own."

"We'll try another search tomorrow night. It's nearly four in the morning! We have to leave now if we want to get out of town by dawn. Besides, are you completely oblivious to all the people in this building, not to mention this room? It's a miracle we even made it this far in." In truth, he didn't want to give up either, but with time running out, they had to stop the search now.

Suzie's face fell in disappointment. All that work and only some painkillers, first-aid stuff, and a couple of blankets to show for it. Medicine made specifically for humans may not even have much effect. It was so very uncertain that her stomach was tied in knots.

The monsters had not realized they had been speaking rather loudly. A rattle sounded out in the darkness as a doorknob began to turn…

Suzie didn't think, only reacted in a fright and flung herself under the nearest bed where a teenaged boy was sleeping with a broken leg. Randall rolled his eyes, amused by her behavior, and calmly melted away into thin air. A line of light from the hall appeared as the door opened a crack. The investigator was a young, bespectacled nurse carrying a massive clipboard. It was evident she had heard voices, for she came into the room confused, looking at all the fast-asleep patients.

Randall was tired of all this excessive hiding. This scenario reminded him of a scare simulator test. All the elements were here: a dark room, sleeping people, and a bothersome adult. _Hmm…_ he pondered while watching the nurse. _Perfect time for a bit of mayhem._ What harm could it do? Scaring the nurse a little wouldn't accomplish anything, but it sure would be entertaining.

He crawled up into a corner of the ceiling. This would be more of an indirect approach. Just as the nurse was about to turn his way, he made himself visible, but made his scales gleam a dark grey with a stony texture. For an added creepy touch, he made the scales around his eyes bright red. He did not make a sound, just clung there in the corner like a demonic statue wearing a menacing grin.

The nurse actually did a double-take. The following scream was so high-pitched she could have auditioned for a horror movie.

Randall vanished as various patients jerked awake in their beds. _Too easy._ He smiled unseen. _Now to get out of here._ Patients all began talking at once, trying to calm the petrified nurse and make sense of her stuttering.

Suzie hadn't seen what had happened, and was still hiding under the bed closest to the window. When Randall suddenly appeared in front of her, still in his gargoyle-like ensemble, even she jumped a little. "What did you do?"

"Just having a bit of fun. Let's go, the window's wide open."

"Um…we're kinda five floors up?"

"Since when do we need a staircase? I'll carry you. Ready?" He crawled on all eights to the window after checking to make sure everyone in the room was occupied. None of them were looking this way. The nurse was babbling loudly, drawing the whole room's attention.

Suzie looked apprehensive about climbing down a wall five stories up.

"Now or never, Suzie," Randall whispered impatiently. The commotion wouldn't last long.

She clutched his neck from behind and held on with her legs, piggy-back style, so he was able to use all his limbs. He sneaked swiftly out of sight, just as the panicking nurse pointed a shaky finger in their direction. But by then, they were already out of sight.

…

They came to a halt on a rooftop balcony after traversing back through the hospital gardens, down the street, and avoiding multiple early-morning drivers. There was no need to be as careful this time, for hardly any people walked the streets at four in the morning. They found another fire escape on an apartment building and made it to the roof without incident.

They sat down and leaned against the bars of the railing to rest for a bit. The hospital they had narrowly escaped from was in view—it rose up to taunt them. The glass windows glinted like crystals in what was left of the moonlight. A pretty sight, but it only reminded them of their failure.

"Nothing!" Suzie kept repeating. "All that work and nothing to show for it. Not even a doctor's note…" she pulled in her knees and hugged them with a despaired look. Randall was surprised to see she was actually holding back tears. That was alarming; in all this time, he had never once seen anyone in the group reduced to crying. Suzie pulled herself together, though. "What are we gonna do? Even if painkillers do have an effect on us, they won't do any healing."

Randall propped an elbow on the railing, resting his chin on a hand, to think about all the options. Unless they struck gold and found actual antibiotics meant for monsters, there were several things that could happen…

Option one: he, Naomi, and Becca all healed on their own, without the use of medicine…like that would ever happen, given the seriousness of their conditions.

Option two: They keep on persisting with another search tomorrow night. He doubted super string stuff would be easy to come by. And even then, they didn't know what kind they needed.

Option three: they could risk kidnapping a doctor and get him to help—not the smartest idea. Human adults were not quite as trustworthy when it came to keeping enormous secrets, like knowing where a band of monsters was hiding out in the bayous.

Option four…he didn't really like option four. The worst case scenario was everyone in the group falling ill and not recovering…

He realized Suzie was waiting for him to speak. "Well? What are we gonna do?"

"…I don't know." Randall admitted. He had never been a monster of reassurance. When Suzie's face fell even more, he wasn't sure what else to say. "It'll be fine. We'll figure it out."

Until this moment, Suzie had always been the optimistic one of the group. She edged closer to whisper a terrible fear. The words she spoke were very, very serious. "What if we all die out here?"

He said nothing. That was the option he refused to accept. They were survivors, and had stayed alive this long. Bernard had spent the past twelve years out here, and had been through more than any of them…but what Suzie suggested could indeed become reality.

A commotion from the apartment below interrupted the monsters' thoughts. Both he and Suzie shifted to look down through the balcony handrails, eyeing the smaller balcony belonging to the room below.

First, it was an impossibly-annoying scream from a little kid. Then came a loud ' _Thump_ ,' either from furniture being knocked over, or parents jumping out of bed to run and see what the matter was. The kid's scream turned into a wailing cry; it was horrible, and echoed so loud Randall wondered if any neighbors would wake up. If they did, now would be a good time to get off this building. Suzie thought along those same lines. She snapped out of her dejected sate and got up. "Let's get out of here, before we're discovered." She shouldered the backpack. "You're right about the time. If we're still around when dawn comes, I hate to think what will happen."

But Randall didn't move. Wheels in his head were spinning as he listened to the human kid's wails…that scream beforehand couldn't mean what he thought it meant…

"Randall, come on. Please? I want to head back and catch up on some sleep. If we have to come back tomorrow night—"

"Shh, listen…" He signaled for her to keep quiet. Just as he finished talking, he heard another child's voice, a girl's this time, screaming from what sounded like a few floors down. Then, out of nowhere, from across the street came an unexpected peal of laughter—that was weird. He knew some children were harder to scare then others, but did some find monsters so hilarious-looking, they actually laughed at them? Nevertheless, Randall's insides somersaulted with hope.

He leapt up and grabbed Suzie's hand. "I have an idea!"

Suzie seemed aware of the cause of the commotions by now, but was confused by Randall's sudden plan. She hopped onto his back and held on as he leapt over the railing to climb down headfirst. He ignored the searing pain in his abdomen, too distracted to worry about it.

He didn't pause to explain. If there were monsters at work in the apartments, there wasn't a moment to lose.

 **Up next: Randall and Suzie made a quick detour before heading back to the swamps. Just to clarify, Mike and Sulley will NOT be appearing in this story. That happens quite a lot in other Randall fics. But they will be mentioned, and there will be a few surprises coming up in the next few chapters.**

 **Since I'm re-posting this story, just a quick note to former readers: Don't give away spoilers to new readers! Especially about that part that takes place in Iceland! (That's not a spoiler, is it? Maybe it is...)**


	23. Detours and Delays

Chapter Twenty-Two: Detours and Delays

"Wait a minute, hang on," Suzie whispered, still hanging on to Randall as he climbed down the building wall. "What are we doing? And don't tell me it's what I think it is."

"Yep. We're going to find help."

"By going straight into the place where we're not wanted?" Suzie sounded unsure.

"Do you have any other ideas? You sounded desperate a minute ago. Let's give it a shot."

"But—"

"What's the worst that could happen? Honestly, what?" He twisted his head around to look her seriously in the eye. "They can't banish us _again_ , can they?"

He had a sudden flashback to the first few weeks of his own banishment. For so long he had pulled many all-nighters in children's rooms, hoping and praying some monster would open the closet door. Many times he had nearly drifted off to sleep, only to jerk awake to find nothing had changed. The kid would still be asleep, no sounds of a factory drifted under the door, and there weren't any signs of intruders—all that waiting had been in vain. Eventually, he just accepted his fate and started a new life of isolation.

Now that his cast-aside wish of going back was being granted, he wasn't sure if he wanted it to come true.

There were many concerns running through his head, all of them bad. What if he and Suzie were denied help and sent back? What if they were arrested? What if they were forced back through a different door to some other part of the Human World? He shuddered at another thought—what if they ran into someone he knew? That seemed unlikely; Monsters, Inc. wasn't the only scare company out there.

He reached a balcony on the lower floors of the apartment building, and set Suzie down. They each went up to the glass sliding door in search of a child's bedroom. There had to be one near; every other minute, someone let out a high-pitched wail into the night. Sometimes it rang out from across the street, or from another building, but they were always nearby. Sometimes a random laugh would be heard instead, which was weird. Kids must really be getting hard to scare these days.

The door they were at didn't seem to belong to a family with children. Peering in, the monsters could see a living room, but there were no signs of the occupants having children. No toys strewn about or picture books in the bookcase, and no photographs of children on the mantle or walls. Randall crawled along the building to look through some windows just to be sure.

"This apartment is no good. C'mon; next one."

"Are we actually going to find some Scarer at work?" Suzie asked as she balanced on the railing. "Or are we trying to sneak in completely undetected?"

"Uh…we'll find someone, I guess. We're gonna have to, anyway, to make this work."

"Maybe Becca was right. I shouldn't have come," she reached for his hand as she jumped onto the adjacent balcony. "Here we are, about to break even more laws and get into a mountain of trouble."

"I thought you were the one who always looks on the bright side."

"Yes, usually. This is just a little bit much."

They hurried to check a few more apartments. The next two also had no signs of kids, but on the fourth, they heard the sound of alarmed parents trying to calm down someone who had either just woken up from a nightmare, or had just seen something _from_ a nightmare. The boy's cries and screams echoed out; it was such an encouraging noise. "We're getting close." Randall went on following the trail. "They must be working on this street alone; do you hear the pattern? It all started back at the intersection."

Suzie hopped onto the next deck as he set her down. She looked in through the sliding doors for signs of life. Whoever lived here sure was messy: all over the floor were broken crayons, stuffed animals, scribbled drawings and small shoes. She bit her lip, still a tad worried about this idea.

Randall took a moment to relax the horrible pain in his side. After all this climbing and carrying Suzie, the wound wouldn't be able to handle much more. It had gone without bandages for the entire night, and the pain was starting to make him feel ill and feverish. This quiet apartment was the most promising so far. Getting into the Monster World had never been more important right now.

He took a knife from the backpack and pried open the door in a blink.

"So, what's the plan?" Suzie asked as she tiptoed after him onto the carpeted floor. "Just get to the kid's room and wait?"

"Yes." He wanted to expand on that answer, but he was forced down on all eights to traverse the minefield of toys. This living room was full of them. "Those screams are coming this way. If we're lucky, someone will stop here."

As if on cue, another child—who sounding like he was somewhere in this building—yelled. Another one, not quite as loud, made an enormous fit of giggles and peals of laughter. _Those idiots must be losing their touch._ Randall thought vaguely of former coworkers. _Or maybe tonight's workers are new on the job. It must take real talent to be so bad at scaring, that the kids actually find it funny!_

Still wondering about this, he wasted no time in finding the kid's room. All was quiet so far. There was no way to know if anyone would come or not, but a stakeout was better than nothing. The door was painted white, with stickers of safari animals all over it. "Wait here a sec," he told Suzie as he slipped inside. Sometimes kids had the habit of waking up early; it was getting close to dawn and he half-expected something like that to be a problem. He made himself invisible and stayed low. Had he been doing this stakeout alone, hiding in here would be easy. But what about Suzie? He looked around the boy's room in search of a spot for her to hide.

The boy was about four years old, fast asleep under a jungle-themed quilt. Around the room were more assorted toys and books. _How many toys does one kid need, anyway?_ Randall thought. Not even his nephew had so much stuff. Over on one wall was a window facing the barren street, with curtains thick enough to mask a silhouette behind them. There was also a child-sized table and chairs in the corner piled high with unfinished art projects. Both would make adequate hiding places. The closet door was also covered in animal stickers, but it stood with a foreboding nature. Through that portal was the solution to all their problems: medicine, doctors, hopefully his glasses…the sight of a closet was a relief, but Randall couldn't help being edgy.

Suzie seemed able to read his thoughts as she came in. After crawling underneath the table, she asked him simply. "After all those things you did, what if someone from Monsters, Inc. comes through? You could get in serious trouble. Or what if the ones who threw you out here in the first place show up?"

"What are the chances of that actually happening?" Randall scowled. "There are dozens of scare factories out there, with thousands of workers. What are the odds of running into someone we know?"

"Well, I don't know many who work in factories. Remember, I was in high school when Becca got banished. If we end up in Fear Co, there are sure to be a few monsters who remember her; she didn't have a lot of friends, but I'm sure there will be someone."

Randall almost laughed. He blended to match the giraffe pattern of the curtains and sat against the wall. With Becca's tough attitude, he wasn't surprised she didn't have a plethora of friends. "Let's hope you're right. If she has friends, maybe they'll be more willing to help us."

They ceased their chat, and went silent to begin the horrible waiting game. Neither said a word. Suzie was huddled uncomfortably, for the table was very close to the floor. She settled on a somewhat bearable position on her stomach and rested her head on her folded arms. Once in a while she looked over at giraffe-patterned Randall to try and read his mood. The look on his face was plainly anxious. No surprise, given all the engineering feats involving illegal inventions back in his old work place. Frankly, she was shocked about this plan of his. _Why would he ever consider going back after all the things he's done there? There's definitely going to be trouble…_

The window was open a crack, and another child's voice resounded from the next apartment. "Getting closer…" Randall murmured. The little boy stirred in his sleep, but didn't wake up. As an afterthought, Randall reached up to shut the window. It wouldn't do to have the kid wake up and ruin everything. Settling down again, he then asked Suzie, "Hey, when you and Becca were cast out, how did it go?"

"Well, it was winter, and we were thrown into northern Canada. It was…not nice. Like being in a survival documentary…hey! I just realized, she and I have been out here for nearly three years, now! And our birthdays are coming up." She realized she was getting off-topic, and focused. "But she and I never tried to go back. I mean, what was the point? Using the doors unauthorized was the reason Becca got in trouble in the first place. What about you? How did you cope when you were thrown out? And I mean _literally_ thrown out."

Randall leaned back against the wall and stared over at the closet. This scenario brought back so much de-ja-vu. "Pulled a lot of all-nighters, but didn't have any luck. No one showed up. I was desperate to get back at first, and then imagined it was either jail, or get sent back out here if I did. So I accepted what had happened and adapted. End of story…hey, can I have that other jacket? I don't want an audience to see my stitches if someone comes."

By now, the four year old boy was stirring, tossing, and turning more than ever. The combination of the monsters' small talk and the sky growing brighter every minute was the cause of this. It didn't help that Randall and Suzie were speaking in louder tones as time ticked on, so they decided to hush up for now. In truth, they hadn't been waiting for long, but in their unrest, the seconds went by oh so slowly…when Suzie became bored enough to start braiding her fin-tipped feelers, a new sound—very faint and nearly inaudible—made her swivel around under the table to face the closet. It was a low, electronic hum. They very sound made when a door portal became active.

Randall heard it too, and went rigid. He pushed back into the curtains a little more to witness whatever was about to happen. This was it…this night of hiding, snooping, stealing and infiltrating all boiled down to this…

There were even fainter sounds of numerous muffled voices and machines at work. Because of the silence of the kid's room, the muffled commotion was all the more noticeable. Randall hadn't planned on how to greet the Scarer about to come in—just say 'Hello?' That wasn't really his style, but seemed the smartest thing to do. Anything that involved jumping the stranger certainly wouldn't do.

He and Suzie held their breaths as the doorknob creaked, turned and the whole thing opened just a crack. For a moment, a shaft of light beamed across the carpet, and was quickly extinguished as whoever was on shift slipped in. At first, neither he nor Suzie saw anyone. But Randall blinked a few times and noticed a small shape who was staring this way, looking just as flabbergasted.

The stranger had only noticed Suzie, and was looking at her, open-mouthed in surprise, with his claws raised slightly in preparation to scare the sleeping boy. But finding another monster in here? That had thrown him off-guard. He was frozen. He was an extremely small Scarer, barely half of Suzie's height, and she was a full head shorter then Randall. The stranger was covered in fur, and he resembled a pot-bellied mini sasquatch with retractable claws that were all too large for the rest of him. The fur on his head was fashioned into a mohawk which flopped forward. His fanged-toothed mouth was so big it took up most of his face, and his eyes would have been beady had they not been wide with surprise. The stranger may have been puny, but was extremely tough-looking.

"How did-? What are you doing in here? The door glitches were supposed to be fixed!" the stranger's voice hissed in a gravelly tone.

"Uh—sorry," Suzie began. "Don't mean to interrupt you at work, but I'm—"

"Sorry, miss, but this is my last room of the day and I've been scheduled for this street, so get out and let me take it, alright? I've had enough of running into others in random rooms like this."

"No, wait, you see I'm not—"

"Are you a Scarer or Laugher?"

"A—a what, sorry?" she then whispered over her shoulder. "Randall, help me out here!"

Randall shook off the giraffe curtain pattern and hobbled over, still being wary of his wound. The jacket rubbed against the mutilated skin terribly, but he kept a straight face.

With another one appearing from nowhere, the stranger was just plain confused. "Huh? What is going on?"

"Listen to us, we're not factory workers, but hear us out," Randall said as calmly as possible. "We're banished, and have been doing just fine on our own, not that anyone cares. But we need help. Will you take us to the authorities? Or the head of whatever factory you're in, at least?"

"Yeah, we've been running around all night, from the swamps all the way through the city, and you turning up has been the best thing that's happened so far." Suzie added.

"I…uh…" the stranger trailed off, staring up at the two who stood several heads taller than him. He scratched his hairy mohawk of fur in confusion. What was going on? An ambush by two weirdos dressed in human-sized jackets, covered in dirt, scratches, who smelled of swamp sludge, and had a backpack full of who-knows-what. It rattled whenever the girl moved it, as if it were full of weapons or sharp objects.

"Just take us through the door—please. We can explain once we're out of this room. That kid's gonna wake up any second," Randall had an uncharacteristic desperation in his voice. His heart was thumping madly, almost excitedly, at the prospect of going into a place where there was no need to hide from the general population. To make himself clear, he grabbed a chuck of fur from the stranger's neck and pulled him up to eye level. "Long story short, and listen up, 'cause I'm not going to explain this again: we need to get into the Monster World, just for a little while! You can escort us the whole time, if you like, but let us in there! _Without_ causing a scene."

"Hey, I'm not about to go taking orders from some dirty ruffians from a swamp!"

"Please, help us," said Suzie, annoyed. "Divert any monsters off the scare floor. We don't want to draw a crowd. Who knows how a factory will react to 'two dirty ruffians from a swamp?'"

The stranger tried to shake loose from Randall's grip, but the lizard was even stronger then he looked. The sasquatch frowned, unsure what to do. Now that Suzie had stepped a little closer, he could see just how young she was; too young to be outcast into the Human World. This observation made him wonder if this 'ambush' was some sort of elaborate scheme, set up by the boss. This couldn't be a real-life scenario; it was too unusual. "Is this some sort of test?" he questioned. "Ever since the new boss was hired, she'd been throwing weird set-ups on the floors. Like some sort of scenario training."

With all this talking, the little boy was on the verge of waking up. All three monsters turned their heads in his direction, suddenly worried.

"Alright, I'll play along," said the stranger. "Put me down, will ya? I'll get you into the factory, no worries! Give me a minute to check the floor; it shouldn't be too crowded. Most of the others have punched out early, anyway. Happens every Friday."

After behind set down, the mini sasquatch walked back over to the closet to open it just a crack. Randall and Suzie lingered to exchange a glance. Neither spoke, but knew they were sharing the same thought: just go along with it until meeting with someone of higher authority. They nodded in understanding. Maybe this night of bad luck would end well, after all.

The furry little monster said over his shoulder, "OK, come on in. This whole thing had better be worth my time."

Randall's posture relaxed. "Thank you." By saying those words, he surprised himself. In the past, he never would have uttered anything like 'thank you.' But in this moment, after so long, he had never been more grateful. Suzie was quiet, but quivered slightly and stuck close to him. The backpack straps she clutched tighter. She was right in Randall's personal space bubble, but he allowed her to stay close. He was feeling rather nervous himself, and it was nice to have company for this slight detour.

"I had better pass this test," said the stranger. "I didn't even get to finish my last scare of the day."

Sudden light from the Floor made them all blink as they stepped over the threshold. The cold, hard surface was a dramatic change from swamp ground and moss under their feet. The sounds of voices and machines at work was quiet, since the Floor wasn't very busy. Stations were set up all in a row, with paperwork scattered all over their adjacent desks. The one belonging to the short, pot-bellied sasquatch was the very last one, furthers from the Floor's entrance. This was probably a good thing; there was only one or two teams working down at the other end—far enough away that they failed to notice the two newcomers' arrival.

The mini sasquatch's assistant was a rather large, aqua-blue slug monster with green spots on his front. His mouth was filled with razor-sharp shark's teeth, and he could've been a Scarer himself. He was vaguely familiar to Randall…maybe he had seen him at University? He resembled someone from one of the fraternities, but he couldn't quite place it.

"OK, Baboso, when did this get set up?" the mini sasquatch demanded, pointing a thumb at Randall and Suzie. "Is the boss just trying to mess with us, to see what we'll do?"

The blue slug-shark monster blinked a few times. He actually did a double-take upon seeing Randall and Suzie come in. No words came out of his mouth.

"Hello? Earth to Baboso! I bumped into these two in the room. Assistants are always told of any surprise test scenarios, so let's have it. Who are they? Hired actors? Or do they work somewhere else in the building?"

"Um…" Baboso trailed off as he pushed the button to make the safari-sticker covered door rise up and be taken away to the door vault.

Both Randall and Suzie watched it go, and exchanged another look. She was biting her lip fretfully. Their only ticket back to the others was out of their grasp, tucked away in a vault. They were now stuck in this dimension for the time being. How long would this detour take? A few hours? A few days? Bernard, Becca, and Naomi wouldn't stay put forever…

The scare team began arguing over the situation.

"I know for a fact Becca will come looking for us soon, even if she is sick," Suzie warned Randall, unheard by them. "Bernard won't be able to stop her; she'll just over-react and go storming into the city."

"She'll have a fun time finding us," he looked back up at the track to the vault, worried.

The assistant Baboso was equally confused now and stuttering about how he knew nothing about a random test. This aggravated the mini sasquatch, whose name they hadn't yet learned. Since the Scarer was so much smaller than the assistant, the sight of him scolding his partner made for an entertaining sight. Randall took a precious moment to try and figure out where exactly they were. This wasn't Monsters, Inc. The layout of the Floor was different, and the walls were painted a different color. He was a bit disappointed. He had been hoping to find his glasses, which were either still stowed away in his locker, or confiscated by whoever was running Monsters, Inc. right now. After the fiasco with the scream extractor, he doubted the old CEO was still in charge.

He noticed Baboso wearing a red hard hat bearing the logo of Scream Industries. _So, we're in the place Naomi used to work. Someone here may know her and lend us a hand. We can't waste any more time getting those medicines!_ He stepped forward to bring the scare team's argument to a stand-still. "Hey, we're not actors!"

"That much I've figured out," snapped the mini sasquatch. "So, scum of the earth, what do you want?"

"No way! This can't really be happening!" Baboso marveled at the sight of the strangers. "Are you two really banished? How did you get back here? And why? Chester, we gotta tell someone about this, the odds of this actually happening are so slim that no one will believe it. Tell me, how long have—"

"Hey! This isn't a social visit!" The mini sasquatch pushed him aside. "My name's Chester Duffy, and I'm one of the top Scarers here. The boss will listen to me when I tell her about you two. Filthy outcasts barging their way into Scream Industries! It'll make headlines for sure."

Suzie found her voice. "Please don't," she said politely. "We're from a larger group of outcasts—"

"There're _more_ of you waiting to break in?!"

"No, no, let us explain—Randall, show them the stitches."

Randall hesitated, but figured it would really grab the scare team's attention and shut them up for a minute. He unzipped his jacket and opened it just enough to show the grisly, swollen, infected mess of scales. He winced from the pain; it was becoming quite gory. The sight made Chester and Baboso gasp and recoil in horror.

"Will you help us? We need to find a doctor, and medicine," He explained seriously. "There are three others in our group, all sick with pneumonia—well, Bernard isn't sick yet, but if things keep going the way they are, he will be. So, take us to your boss. Now!"

Chester was still apprehensive, but Baboso seemed more sympathetic. He was rubbing his chin, trying to think up the best way to remedy the problem.

Now Randall recognized the aqua blue slug as one of the members of the Jaws Theta Chi fraternity—a big, burly group of jocks. Baboso was a lot taller and brawnier then he remembered. Why was he working as an assistant instead of a Scarer? Randall shrugged that mystery off; he didn't really care. A few seconds passed while waiting for the team's response.

"Well, if you have to meet with her, it'll be a bit of a wait," Baboso said. "The boss is in a meeting right now for the next hour. She's been trying to get approval to bring in more Laugh Floors."

Randall sighed with impatience. "Fine. We'll wait, then…hold on, _what_ kind of Floor?" He must have been mishearing. He had heard that term a couple of times since confronting Chester back in the kid's room.

"Laugh Floor. This factory only has two, but with just a few more, combined with all the old scream technology—" he paused upon seeing Randall and Suzie's confused faces. "Oh, I guess you guys wouldn't know about it. It's a pretty recent thing. Monsters, Inc. was the one who started it all. They've got a total of fifteen Laugh Floors now; they've never been more successful, and that's why our boss is looking into converting a few more. Competition is tight these days."

"What are you talking about? You mean to tell me the whole Monster World is turning into a circus show?!" Randall was astounded as he listened to Chester tell of how laughter was ten times more powerful then screams. The energy crisis had apparently been averted because of it, but the scaring industry hadn't been completely replaced. Not all monsters were cut out to be Laughers, just as not all monsters were cut out to be Scarers. Plus, with both options, there were a lot more jobs available for everyone.

Randall frowned; he had a strong suspicion as to who had started such a ridiculous phenomenon. "That is by far the most idiotic thing I've ever heard." He said once Chester had finished. "Who the hell started such a stupid—never mind, I don't want to know, and I don't care. We're not even supposed to be here." Just the knowledge of this made his blood boil. He could almost feel himself turning red with anger, but kept it under control. He didn't belong in this world anymore. There wasn't much point in steaming over it.

"What are your names?" Baboso asked.

"I'm Suzanna McKeen—or just Suzie—and he's Randall Boggs. Do you think we can wait somewhere for your boss besides here?" Suzie asked. "Like the cafeteria? I'm really thirsty."

She had drained her water bottle over the course of the long night. So had Randall, and now that the subject was up, realized he was quite parched, too. The scare team didn't see any harm in this, but Chester was so untrustworthy of them that he insisted on coming along to keep an eye. "I don't want to be responsible for common criminals wreaking havoc around here."

Baboso was very friendly to them as he and Chester led the way off the Scare Floor. He made an observation to Suzie. "You're awfully young to be banished. How old are you? Sixteen?"

"Eighteen. And I'm not exiled, per say. My older sister was, and I went in after her. It's a long story. So I guess I banished myself." She found this thought amusing and smiled. While she launched into the gang's backstories and what their current problem was, Randall focused on trying to stay inconspicuous.

Many workers were arriving for the evening shift, and the wide, clean and spotless hallways seemed crowded. In truth, there were not many, but it seemed like every set of eyes followed them. The monsters with multiple sets of eyes made things all the creepier. It felt so strange being back! He felt like vanishing; this was like walking through a dream, or a hallucination.

When Chester and Baboso led them through the factory's main foyer, he scanned every individual. The stares still followed. _Of course, we_ would _draw attention. A couple of dirty, unkempt monsters carrying an old backpack, wearing tattered jackets are not things you see on an average work day. They must suspect where we're from…_ This was Scream Industries, so no one recognized him, thank goodness. Randall doubted old coworkers would recognize him anyway at first glance, given his dark, tanned scales, bite scars, and stronger physique. Maybe it was a good thing they hadn't turned up in Monsters, Inc. He would be at a loss as to what to do should they meet an old face. Whispers followed the group as they headed down the corridor towards the cafeteria _. If I'm finding this bad, what about Suzie? She's been gone a lot longer than I have._

With Baboso's friendliness, Suzie seemed much more at ease now, but was wary of the questions being asked of her. They shot questions toward Randall, too, but he kept the answers basic and to the point. These strangers were not important. "Sorry. All the information has to be given to your boss. The sooner that happens, the sooner we can get what we need and get out of here."

"Suit yourself," said Chester. "That is probably for the best. I don't want to get involved in all this."

"I do! It's very interesting," Baboso disagreed. "Tell me, how is it, surviving in the Human World? With five of you, it must be hard to avoid detection, right? I've heard of people trying to capture monsters for sport or profit."

"Well, that's never happened, exactly, but there have been close calls…" Randall began.

The four monsters reached the cafeteria without anyone stopping them. The place was open for the evening shift, but not many were in here. Only a few folk were scattered across the room, eating snacks or early dinners while reading newspapers. One dragon-like monster kept setting the edges of his paper on fire just by breathing on it. The orange-spotted lunch lady behind the counter was busy preparing all sorts of delicious dinner entrees: some sort of curdled purple soup, grilled eye sandwiches, and fresh sushi with fuzzy little antennae sticking out of it. At long last, they might be able to have some decent food…but Randall and Suzie ignored their hunger. More important things were at stake. They sat down at a table with a captivated Baboso who hung on to their every word. Chester fetched them all glasses of water, and sat down as well. Tales were told of all the hardships they had faced: stealing cars, hiding out in Yellowstone Park, facing wolves, bears and other animals, trekking through cities, raiding, stowing away on trains and moving vans, and even dealing with hunters. Baboso was fascinated with their stories. Something as simple as getting enough to eat could end up being a struggle. Even stone-faced Chester was curious about the places they described; all he had ever seen of the Human World were kids' bedrooms.

Because Suzie had been an outcast for longer, she had seen more and lived in all sorts of different places. She told of exciting, but terrible snowstorms she and Becca had had to endure during the first few months of their banishment, long ago.

"Why did they send you to northern Canada in the dead of winter?" Baboso asked half way through.

"Don't ask me. Maybe they just wanted to make things difficult."

As she continued, Randall took a moment to ponder in silence. _All this waiting…I hate it! What if the head of Scream Industries refuses to give us medicine? Naomi's getting pretty bad. Who knows if she'll last much longer…and as big a pain as Becca is, I'd hate for her to end up in the same boat. She's by far the best hunting partner._ He took a sideways glance at Suzie—she would be next, then Bernard, then himself—unless the infected bullet wound got him first. The thought of dying out in the swamps could very well become true without medicine.

"So…Randall, was it? How did that happen?" Chester nodded at the flesh wound, which was hidden by the zipped-up jacket. "Did some crazed beast attack you? From the looks of you and all those scars, you've been in a lot of fights."

"No. I was spotted by hunters," he didn't really like Chester's know-it-all attitude. He started telling of that horribly painful day and performing surgery on himself. Since this scare team was getting on his nerves, he exaggerated a few parts to make it sound extra gruesome. The queasy look on Chester's face was satisfactory.

Suzie seemed to know what he was doing and tried not to smirk in amusement. _Boy, if only the others had come along on the raid…_ She drained her water glass and observed the goings-on of the cafeteria with interest.

Most of the diners were employees of the factory, and others consisted of an insect-like repairman fixing the vending machine in the corner, and a food deliverer carrying crates of vegetables. He balanced crates on each of his tentacle arms with talent. The orange-spotted lunch lady signed a form before taking the crates from him one by one. However, the minute he left, she dropped a crate and caused a crash that scattered the vegetables all over the counter and floor.

As the lunch lady started to clear up the mess, another delivery arrived, consisting of a massive heavy trolley piled high with coolers. All of the coolers bore the humorous logo of a polka-dotted fish. Suzie wondered if the factory was having a fish special for a meal, since the delivery was so large. This reminded her of just how hungry she was getting—it had been a solid twelve hours since her last meal—and she finally noticed the delivery guy pushing the trolley.

She choked on a mouthful of water and grasped one of Randall's arms.

"What?" he said, slightly alarmed. "I was just getting to the part where Becca punched me."

"Randall, look!" she pointed at the delivery monster. What had startled her was the monster's familiarity. Even from way over here on the other side of the room, she was startled.

The fish-delivery man looked to be in his early thirties, very large, and sturdily build like a gorilla. But his head was disproportionately small in comparison. His legs were short, and his skin was of a bright orange color. A colorful crest of feathers grew out of his skull and down his broad back. A set of angler fish-fish teeth protruded from his mouth. The stranger was speaking to the flustered lunch lady, helping to gather up the spilled vegetables.

Chester and Baboso were forgotten for the moment. Randall and Suzie looked from the delivery man, to each other, and back. The teeth were smaller, and the skin was orange, but the resemblance was uncanny. The monster delivering fish to the cafeteria was the spitting image of Bernard.

 **Slight cliffhanger. :) One more unexpected face is going to make unappearance before Randall and Suzie make their way back to the group. Re-posting this tale is taking much longer then I thought it would, be it sure is fun to re-read it all. The next part will up tomorrow, so stay tuned! Hope you enjoy! :)**


	24. Finding Help

Chapter Twenty-Three: Finding Help

Bernard seldom talked about his son; when he did, it was never for very long. Randall and Suzie had no idea what the mysterious monster even looked like, but at the sight of the individual delivering the fish order, not a shred of doubt was in their minds. He looked so much like Bernard, there was no way it _couldn't_ be him. The same huge stature, similar faces, and even their walk was alike. Granted, Bernard now had a permanent limp from when he broke his leg, but still…

Baboso and Chester noticed them staring towards the cafeteria counter. They saw the fish deliverer, too and wondered what was up. "That guy a friend of yours?" asked Chester.

"No, not exactly. But…" Suzie faltered. The hulking orange stranger was still helping the lunch lady sweep up vegetables. Suzie knew that once that was done, the lunch lady would sign the delivery form, unload the trolley, and the orange monster would leave forever. Suzie turned to Randall. "We'll never find that guy again! C'mon, let's talk to him before he leaves! I want to know for sure if he's who I think he is."

Randall was thinking along those same lines. He said to Chester and Baboso before she dragged him from the table. "Give us a sec, alright?"

"Don't try and sneak off," Chester warned. "Until you two are back where you belong—"

"Yeah, yeah, you're watching us, got it. Be right back." Randall was dragged by an arm across the cafeteria.

Normally, Suzie was on the shy side when it came to meeting new monsters, but she was too excited to think about that. After hearing about him for so long, Suzie saw this as the only chance of meeting the long-lost son of Bernard. (Or was it Bernard who was the long-lost one?)

Randall was merely curious. Of course there was no doubt that the fish guy was Nicholas Brennen, but he was reluctant to go talk to him. What exactly were they supposed to say? 'Hi, we're friends of your dad, who is living a thrilling life of hiding out in the wilderness, hunting for food and about to catch pneumonia any day.' That was not exactly the most reassuring greeting. They reached him before Randall could come up with something better.

"Um…excuse me?" Suzie began. The orange monster looked down at them, confused. "You wouldn't be Nicholas, by any chance, would you?"

"…yeah…" he said slowly. "…Why?" The man looked form her to Randall, now even more puzzled. He unloaded a couple of coolers, which the lunch lady pushed across the floor towards a walk-in fridge. At the moment, she was out of earshot, so nothing stopped Suzie from going on.

"Nicholas Brennen?"

"Yes…You know me?"

Randall went straight to the point. "No, but we know your father, Bernard. He's the leader of our group of banished survivors, currently hiding out in the Louisiana swamps, trying not to get eaten by alligators. He's looking after the others, who are both dangerously sick, which means the rest of us will probably catch it, too. He's probably going stir-crazy right now because Suzie and I haven't returned yet. But other than that, he's doing well."

Bernard's younger look-a-like blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Weren't you listening? You _are_ the son of Bernard Brennen, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how—" the monster wavered, his eyes going wide. His face became very hard to read; a combination of utter shock and disbelief, with some sadness mixed in. "My…father is alive?"

Randall and Suzie looked at each other. The families of banished monsters really were kept in the dark. "Of course he is," cried Suzie. "He's in the swamps, right now! You thought he was dead?"

Nicholas nodded. "For twelve years…almost thirteen, now. Most wouldn't last that long out there. Hang on…" he became suspicious all of a sudden. "If you're really friends of my father, answer me this: describe what he looks like. How old is he? What did he do for a living? And tell me his favorite type of music."

Randall knew Bernard quite well by now, and calmly recited. "Like you, only red with bigger teeth. He's fifty-seven, owned a small fishing company, and I think he likes jazz. He keeps humming jazz tunes around camp, always extremely off-key."

Nicholas stared. "That's right. He never could carry a tune…well, um…" he trailed off, still in a state of shock. "Who are you? Why are you telling me this?"

"Just thought you should know he's alright," said Suzie. "I know it's not exactly cheering. Our group hasn't been doing so well lately." She was unsure how to continue.

Randall took over. "Of course he'll want to hear from you, when we get back. I remember Bernard saying you two ran the family business together?"

"Yes. My father took all the blame for that tainted fish outbreak; a lot of folks in the city got sick. That's why he was arrested in the first place. It took a long time for our reputation to recover, but I'm still running things. It's been rough without him; for the first couple of years after he left, business was very bad."

Randall glanced back at Chester and Baboso, who were beginning to look impatient. It had nearly been an hour since arriving in the cafeteria. According to Baboso, the head of Scream Industries would be out of a meeting any minute. He quickly explained all of this to Nicholas in a rush. "There's not much time left; we're meeting someone to see if they can get ahold of medicine for us. Is there anything you want us to pass on to your father?"

"Well—I got married a few years ago, and have a daughter, now. She's almost four, and quite a handful."

"Congratulations!" said Suzie with a smile. "Ha! Bernard will like hearing that; he's been a grandpa all this time and didn't even know it."

Randall couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. What a piece of news that would be.

"What else? Um…geez, it's hard coming up with something off the top of my head! I didn't think Dad would last out there! What do I say after all this time?" Nicholas wondered aloud, running a hand through his feather crest.

The lunch lady had been coming and going, pushing coolers into the walk-in fridge one by one. She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation and was back at work preparing more food. Nicholas fought to find more to say, when Chester suddenly popped out of nowhere. "Hey! You two done socializing? It's time to head upstairs. Baboso's gone off to give the boss a call; let her know we're on the way." The pushy little sasquatch began ushering Randall and Suzie away.

"Wait! I still have questions!" Nicholas came after them. "How did you meet my father? When did you two end up in the Human World?" He rushed in front of them, his giant frame bringing the party to a halt. "What are your names, anyway?"

"Enough! This day is only getting more confusing," Chester rolled his eyes. "Ugh…come along if you must. If you know someone in this band of banished scum, you can act as a witness or something. Might help things move along faster."

Nicholas agreed at once. He abandoned the empty fish trolley and stuck close to Randall and Suzie as they all left the cafeteria. He at once began asking a thousand questions; there was so much he needed to know about the father he thought had been lost.

…

Word seemed to have spread throughout the factory, somehow. On the journey through the corridors, many monsters in red Scream Industries hardhats or uniforms whispered behind their backs about two banished monsters breaking in. Some folks talked more loudly then others; Randall didn't much like this. He could easily picture some ill-tempered ones ganging up on them. He had promised Becca to keep Suzie safe, out of harm's way. The walk across the crowded foyer was the worst, so he made sure she stuck close to him.

Baboso rejoined them when they passed the reception desk. "OK, Chester, I've called the boss and she's waiting. The meeting with the Laugh Floor guys went pretty well, so she's in a good mood."

' _Laugh Floor.' Humph…_ thought Randall will a roll of his eyes. _So what if the energy is more powerful? It's practically an insult to monsters everywhere! I bet I know exactly who came up with the notion…_

Chester filled Baboso in on who the giant orange stranger was, while the orange stranger himself kept on asked about Bernard. Suzie spoke fast, telling him a lot in the short time it took to reach the other side of the foyer.

"…so Dad's kept your group together all this time?" Nicholas was saying. "And you've managed to stay hidden all these years?"

"Well, more or less, if you don't count a few close sightings. Bernard's a good man; he's watched out for all of us."

Randall was a bit distracted by the many pairs of eyes boring into them—accusing, untrustworthy, disapproving looks _. Boy, words travels fast around here. They must think Suzie and I are common criminals! How annoying…_ He asked Chester, "Who was your boss meeting with, anyway? Jokesters from other factories?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Chester said. "A couple of managers came to advise her on the conversion of Scare Floors to Laugh Floors. Our main goal is to eventually have the same number of each in our factory. That way, we'll be able to keep up with the competition."

Reaching the elevator was a merciful break from all the interested stares. Like his father, Nicholas was a quiet sort, but he was asking question after question. They had answered everything thus far, and by now he was thoroughly convinced that the two strangers really were who they said they were. He seemed to have completely recovered from his earlier state of shock. "So how is my father's leg now, after that break? He's had problems with that leg before, you know; after falling from a cliff, who knows it if will ever be the same again?"

"We set it as best we could back in summer—" Randall began.

"You three talk too much. Cut it out." Chester crossed his hairy arms.

Baboso made an apologetic face as the elevator slowed to a halt.

The offices of Scream Industries were directly above the Floors. Because of this layout, echoes constantly rose up from below. It seemed all the more amplified since these hallways weren't crowded with chattering voices. Nicholas, Randall and Suzie went quiet as the group reached a pair of wide, double-doors. This was about to become very serious. Randall felt like he was being taken to a principal's office. His jacket was still rubbing against his swollen stitches and mutilated scales; it was very painful, and only through sheer willpower was he able to stand upright. Maybe he should've taken some time to patch himself up with new bandages.

Chester paused before knocking to tell Nicholas, "You said you're a relative of someone in the group, whoever you are? Fine. Come in, if you want to waste your time with all this." He rapped briefly and was answered by a female voice.

"Come in!"

The five entered a luxurious, carpeted office with windows taking up two walls, giving a view of the parking lot below. The room had a few filing cabinets and bookshelves, pictures of past Scarers, artificial plants, and high-quality office furniture. Taking up most of the space in the room was a massive intimidating oak desk with high-backed chairs all around it. Sitting at the head was a woman, about twenty-nine or thirty years old, who made Randall and Suzie blink in surprise.

At first glance, they thought it was Naomi sitting there, but it couldn't be! She was back in the swamp, fighting the illness that was keeping her bedridden. The stranger sitting in the chair was physically similar—tall and slender, with three eyes, claws, and a round face. The only differences were her pink skin and red hair. Randall recognized her, but couldn't place her name; why did all the Python Nu Kappa members look alike? It only made things confusing.

"Hello, you must be the visitors," she said in a high-pitched voice, with her hands folded on the desk. She nodded at Baboso. "Mr. Goretega told me over the phone, but you can fill me in with more details. Please, sit down."

Apparently the monsters whom she had been in a meeting with had just left, for several chairs were still pulled out messily. Randall and Suzie each took one and sat near her, along with Chester and Baboso. Nicholas remained standing in the background for now, all ears and ready to learn more about these friends of his father.

"I'm Caroline Williams, CEO of Scream Industries; or Carrie, if you like. From what I understand, you and your group of friends are in some sort of trouble?"

"Yes," Randall began, still startled at how the leader of PNK had moved up in the world. "It's a bit of a long story…"

He and Suzie took turns telling the tale in full, this time. They explained everything about the group's current state, described the bout of pneumonia plaguing them, and showed Randall's infected flesh wound. Carrie flinched and wrinkled her nose upon seeing it, but otherwise remained composed and did not interrupt.

The pink monster may have been a friend of Naomi's, but Randall and Suzie couldn't help but feel some resentment towards her. She was looking very business-like and proper, dressed in a designer skirt suit with her hair pinned up in a bun; somehow promoted all the way up to CEO…she was the one who had turned Naomi in in the first place for cheating on the scare tallies. Actually, Naomi shouldn't have been transferring points at all, but it was hard not be wary of the stranger sitting at the head of the desk.

Chester and Baboso acted as witnesses to confirm the story, while Nicholas, the third party, voted in favor of giving the outcasts the help they needed. Once the full scale of the situation was revealed, Nicholas was looked very crestfallen. He said nothing, however, as the CEO responded her answer.

"…I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

There was utter silence in the room. Nicholas broke it angrily. "Why not? My father is out there, and—"

She raised a hand to silence him. "Let me explain. The law plainly says: 'Once a monster's location is decided, he or she will be given only the necessities to survive for a maximum of three days. Henceforth, the individual will be subjected to their own survival skills. The banished individual shall have no further contact with the Monster World under any circumstance, etc, etc.' That is the law," Carrie recited. She sighed. "I don't exactly agree with it; it's a harsh punishment, no doubt. There was a time when authorities offered assistance to anyone who truly needed it, but since no one has ever _returned_ from the Human World until now, that law was thrown out the window," She had a faintly pained look in her eyes as she addressed Suzie. "I'm sorry about your sister, and about your father," she nodded at Nicholas. "…and Naomi. She and I used to be friends, you know…our entire sorority worked right here. When I reported her, I swear I never expected them to banish her just like _that_!" she snapped her claws for emphasize. "I'm terribly sorry…I want to grant you the medicine, I truly do, but I can't. I have too high a profile now, am publically recognized, and will be caught in an instant if I tried to get them for you."

Suzie's lip trembled and she looked on the verge of tears. "But we're all getting sick! And Randall isn't getting any better with that infection—" a lump in her throat prevented her from going on.

"There must be something you can do," Randall asked. He put a hand on Suzie's shoulder to try and reassure her. "Or we risked our necks getting here for nothing."

"Hold on, hold on, I never said it couldn't be done," Carrie leaned forward on her desk. "I only said _I_ couldn't do it."

There was another bout of silence. Nicholas stepped closer with hope, while Baboso raised a bushy blue eyebrow quizzically. Chester was the only one who protested. "Oh no! No way in hell am I going to smuggle stuff into the factory! I should report this to your superiors, Miss Williams!"

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone, Mr. Duffy, you're fired! Understood?"

That made Chester's beady eyes pop open in fear. "Yes, ma'am…but I'll still have no part in this. Goodbye, everyone!" He got up and headed for the door. "I won't tell of this scheme, Miss Williams, but getting involved is only going to lead to trouble. Trust me." As he yanked open the door, he bumped into somebody. Another voice yelped, appareled someone who had been about to knock.

"Oh, excuse me—"

"Get out of the way! If you're here for the meeting, you're late!" Chester stormed off out of sight.

The new visitor poked his head in to see the group of monsters crowded around the oak desk. "Um…hi. Is this the meeting for the Laugh Floor managers?"

Carrie sighed. "That ended already; you're very late."

Randall went rigid in dread. He didn't need to turn around to see who the owner of the voice was; he recognized it straight away—that annoying, stammering, nervous tone that drove him crazy on a daily basis. _Oh great…how is it even possible to run into him in another factory?_

While Jeffery Fungus had been a help during the scream extractor's construction, Randall only saw him as a thorn in his side. Fungus was more of a minion then a friend; the lizard had no wish to be seen, and shrank down slightly in the chair, but it was too late. Fungus did a double-take. It took a few seconds to realize who it was. "R— _Randall_?" he stammered, ignoring the other faces in the room. "How—how did…?" he trailed off in shock.

Randall suppressed a frustrated groan and twisted around in his seat. Why were they bumping into each other _here_ , of all places? In a CEO's office? In a strange factory? "Hi. Fancy seeing you here."

"Oh, good, you know each other," Carrie observed. "Then by all means, come in. You're Mr. Fungus, aren't you? Perhaps you can lend a hand with this idea of ours." She hurriedly filled him in of all that had been discussed so far.

The red, bean-shaped, chicken-legged monster was exactly the same as Randall remembered. He was wearing a tacky tie and carried a briefcase, probably in preparation for the meeting he had missed. While he listened to Carrie, he kept glancing over at Randall with incredulity. Actually, Fungus was looking more scared then anything. Randall's appearance was vastly different from the last time they saw each other; with all the bite-scars, and new strength, the former Scarer was looking far more intimidating.

Randall put on a stern face and avoided eye contact. He'd make the chicken-legged nuisance keep quiet about this, once this meeting was over.

Fungus took a seat, still shaky from the shock of seeing his former coworker here, of all places. The lizard seemed to want to ignore him for now, so he paid attention to what the CEO had to say.

"Now, before we actually figure out this smuggling plan, I have some interesting information to share," Carrie turned to her laptop screen and made a few clicks of the mouse. "You may find this interesting. I checked for your records right after Mr. Goretega called me, and as it turns out, you two have none."

"None?" Randall repeated. "How's that possible?"

Carrie scanned the computer screen. "Suzanne, I can only find a record for your sister: 'Rebecca McKeen, Scare Coach at Fear Co.' for unauthorized use of the doors. But there's nothing for you, whatsoever. Being underage at the time, your sister was also your legal guardian, is that correct?"

"Yes," Suzie sniffed, still a tad upset. "It was my own choice to go in after her."

"And Randall, there's nothing regarding you, either."

He frowned in confusion. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fungus slumping in his seat as if he wanted to melt into the floor. After the entire scream extractor incident, he had no record? How? Waternoose had wanted the project to be kept top secret, but what about the big hairy buffoon and the one-eyed sidekick? What about Fungus himself, sitting here in this office? One of them would surely have reported the whole thing. Someone had to be responsible, but who? Fungus opened his mouth, as if about to speak, but chickened out when Randall threw him a suspicious glare.

"Don't ask me why," Carrie read Randall's mind. "Bottom line is you're not legally banished, either."

"So what does that mean?" Baboso asked. "The first ever returns from the Human World aren't even criminals?"

"The law states that only _banished_ individuals cannot have further contact with the Monster World. Technically, you two don't have to go back. Should you decide to stay, you'll be treated for that infection."

Randall and Suzie were equally confused now, both about the lack of records and the impending circumstances. "What about the others?" Suzie asked.

"I'm sorry. As harsh as it sounds, they're on their own. By the way, Randall, I think I remember seeing you before, a long time ago, in college. Last I saw you, you blew your turn at the Scare Game Finals! With those pink heart-pattern all over you! What a laugh that was!" she giggled at the memory, not noticing him turn a faint pink with embarrassment and anger. He quickly recovered, though.

"You mean—just the two of us don't have to go back?" Suzie stammered. At once, she shook her head. "Oh, no. There's nothing for me here. Becca is all I've got left. I go where she goes."

Everyone turned to Randall for his answer. Fungus was still staring at him like he was looking at a ghost. Randall took a quick moment to think.

Returning…after all this time, he could have returned! The news was hard to comprehend. The fact that he had no record was a mystery, but he wasn't complaining. The group would definitely ask about that…if he decided to return to them.

He'd be able to go back to a normal life; lately he had been thinking about his own family; his father, brother, and nephew. As irritating as they were, maybe he could patch a few things up…but what about the others, holed up in the swamps? Just abandoning the group like that—it didn't seem right…

He had grown to like them over these last few seasons. He had even grown used to Suzie's corny jokes and Naomi's constant complaining. Had he still been on his own, he would've said yes to return to the Monster World in an instant, but now…

"…No…" he finally said. "I can't just leave everybody."

…

With Chester now out of the picture, there were less hands to carry out the plan. Carrie was under the assumption that Randall and Fungus were old friends, and Fungus found himself pulled into the thick of things. Randall didn't expect him to protest. It was easy talking the wimpy monster into things.

The group came up with a risky plan. The local hospital was the only place to get the medicine; Carrie had a few friends who worked there and figured she could talk to some of them. She would not be involved in the actual smuggling, but would be able to pull a few strings. Getting the medicines into the factory would be up to Baboso. Nicholas did not even work here, but insisted on being a part of this, somehow.

"If there's any way to help Dad, I'm in. Maybe I could head through the door too? When it's time to deliver it?" he asked Baboso as they crowded into the elevator later. Carrie was left behind in her office, already at work, making a few phone calls. "Please, you must let me come," Nicholas continued. "I know I don't work around here, but I have to join you and find my father. No matter what!"

"Well, I guess it's OK, so long as we get you a visitor's pass." Baboso looked at Fungus, who was being very quiet. He tapped the red monster on the shoulder. "Hey, do you want to help deliver the medicine, or act as the lookout?"

"Ah! What have I gotten into?" Fungus jumped. "I don't even work here! I come over for a Laugh Floor advisory meeting, and I get recruited in a smuggling operation! Randall- _how did you even end up here_? Everyone at work was asking what happened back when—"

"Chill," Randall folded both sets of arms and silenced him with a single glare. "I've got a few things to ask you that are a lot more important. You know something; why don't I have any criminal record?"

Fungus backed off nervously. By this time, the party was walking across the foyer back to the Scare Floor. Suzie was busy giving the others directions on where to find the campsite, but this was a questionable idea, given her atrocious sense of direction. Since no one else was in earshot, Fungus thought it safe to answer. "Waternoose was convicted for the entire thing. The whole plot _was_ his idea, after all; he confessed to bribing you to design the extractor in the first place, so the trial concluded that he was solely responsible. Besides, after they trashed the secret lab, no one found any direct proof that you were involved. But Waternoose got caught on tape!"

"Humph. Good riddance."

"For a while, everyone was wondering where you went, and then Sullivan and Wazowski said they threw you through some random door? Well, turns out illegally banishing someone is illegal itself, so they got into a bit of trouble."

"Oh, good." Randall cheered up a little.

Back on the Scare Floor, a few teams had started their shifts, so Baboso led them behind the desks to reach his station. This way, not too many monsters took notice of them.

Fungus was still stammering away. "By the way, I contacted your family to tell them what happened."

"You did _what_? _Why_?"

Fungus trembled. "Your brother is a psychologist! He talked it out of me! He was pretty disturbed by what happened; he actually tried to sneak into the door vault to try and track you down."

Randall was surprised; the last time he had spoken to Sam was—how long ago? He couldn't remember. Curiosity almost got the better of him and he came close to asking about his father, but Fungus spoke up again.

"Why are you going back out there? It's suicide!"

"I've managed. You get used to it after a while. And I can't leave the others; not now."

Fungus stared. That was an unexpected answer. "I can pass a message on for you. I think your brother will want to hear about this. You know he works as the factory counselor, now?"

"No. Just tell him—I'm fine." Randall said with little emotion. He already had enough to deal with right now.

Baboso was flipping through a couple of folders in search of a specific key card. When he called a door down, it was a different one from what Randall and Suzie had come through: pale pink with a gold doorknob. "I thought ahead for you guys. This is a New Orleans door, but it's on the outskirts of the city. I thought this would make it easier to get back to—wherever it is you live in the swamps."

"Perfect! Thanks so much!" said Suzie.

"Wait! Maybe I can come with you now, instead of later?' Nicholas stopped them. "My Dad is through there! It's been so long; over a decade. All this time, I thought he was long gone."

Suzie looked guilty. "Sorry, but it'll be daytime on the other side, and you're not exactly built for hiding." She observed his giant frame. "This smuggling thing will be tougher without you, and we need you on the inside for this to work."

Nicholas furrowed his brows in worry, in a way that made him look exactly like his father. "Alright…at least tell him about my wife and daughter—he doesn't even know they exist."

"Will do," said Randall. Before opening the door, he addressed all of them. "Any idea how long you'll be?'

"Give us a day. That should be enough time," said Baboso. "Good luck getting back!"

Once Randall had slipped through the closet door with Suzie close behind, Fungus reverted to a shocked state. Being in the Human World for so long had done something to that lizard. Or maybe it was just the infected wound making him act so strangely. Before, he _never_ would have shown such concern for other monsters. The change was subtle, but Fungus could tell this wasn't the same Randall he remembered.

Fungus scratched his head, still trying to make sense of all this. What a day this had turned into!

…

They emerged in a girl's room this time, in a house on the very edge of New Orleans. That was fine; being so close to the swamp, the journey back to camp wouldn't be so treacherous. It was broad daylight here—the monsters starting their shifts were likely working in some other time zone. That was the only throwback that could make the smuggling plan tricky.

The bedroom was crammed full of tea sets and home-made rag dolls, with painted pink walls. It was unoccupied, thank goodness, but sounds of the family having breakfast could be heard from the kitchen. Randall stayed ahead of Suzie to check that the coast was clear, just in case. The bedroom window offered a view of the trees; a direct path home. A few jumps over a sill, some empty flower pots, and a fence later, and they were out of sight into the wilderness once again. The sound of the family's dog barking at them made them hurry.

Once all sign of civilization had been replaced by twisted trees, moss, mud, grass and cattails, they paused to catch their breaths amongst the roots.

"Ugh…hand me those bandages. I can't go another step without them," Randall removed his jacket and began wrapping himself up.

"How is it? Any worse?" Suzie asked worriedly.

"No. Just painful."

"I can't believe you turned down an offer to stay! What will your folks say when they find out you could've come home, but didn't? And you could've gotten the gunshot looked at while we were there."

"First of all, my folks and I haven't been close for a long time; my father probably won't even care. And second of all, sticking around to see a doctor would've taken up more time, and we've already been gone long enough. We need to get back, or the others will start searching and get themselves caught. Besides, Fungus will make sure the medicines get to us. The guy's a bit of a screw-up, but I trust him enough to do this."

"Are you two old coworkers?"

"Yeah. He helped with the scream extractor—well, I sort of made him help." Randall winced as he got to his feet. "They know where we are, so let's hope those guys show up tomorrow; I don't think any of us can hold out much longer."

She helped him regain his balance. "C'mon. We've got to tell Bernard about Nick; he'll never believe it! But I want to be the one to tell him he's a grandpa. Wish we had a camera to catch the look on his face. They must be so worried! We've been gone all night!" They walked on in silence for a minute before she brought up something. "Listen, thanks for coming back. But I'll never understand why you did."

"The group is in too much trouble to abandon. No one is that heartless…not even me." Randall admitted after a long pause. "Besides, Becca made me promise to bring you back or else she'd tear my head off."

"Oh, right," Suzie nodded. There was a stream nearby, and she stooped down for a drink of water. The water bottles were pulled from the backpack and filled up for the trek back to camp. She observed the landscape of swamplands while doing so, looking at all the knobby trees and tall grass…and suddenly got the feeling that something was off… "Hey, Randall, I know I'm prone to getting lost, but does the land seem…different to you, or is it just me?"

Randall didn't notice anything wrong at first, so he carefully climbed a tree for a better view. In the highest branches, he saw the skyline of the city—but there were not as many multi-story buildings as he knew there should be…The swamp was altered as well, with far fewer trees and a lot more marshy plains. A sick feeling rose in his stomach…this place didn't look quite right…


	25. We're Not in Louisiana Anymore

**Here we go, the next arch of the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Four: We're Not in Louisiana Anymore…

From the top of the tree, Randall could see the basic outline of the town. He squinted hard, and the blurry image was all wrong: it was a simple skyline, with no tall buildings at all. The houses were too old, and didn't match the residential homes of New Orleans. The place where they had escaped from was on the run-down side; the backyard fence had been very rickety when they jumped over it. He twisted around on the branch to scan the surrounding landscape. The trees were far fewer; the one he was in was amongst a small cluster of them. And none were draped with the familiar hanging moss of the swamp. What were most predominant were the vast open meadows of marshy grass and other plants with narrow rivers in between. Another thing bothering him was the chilly temperature. There was a definite lack of humidity, too. He pulled his jacket closer in a vain attempt to keep in body heat. Actually, that was kind of pointless, since he sensed a fever arising, courtesy of the infected wound.

"Something's wrong here…" he mumbled.

"I'm coming up," called Suzie's voice. She climbed up as well to have a look around. Something in the sky grabbed her attention straight away. "Hey, the sun is setting! The light isn't right for it to be a _sunrise_. I thought those people in the house were having breakfast!"

"So did I. Must've been their dinner." Randall half-listened as thoughts zoomed through his head. When they first ran into Chester Duffy back in that toddler's safari room, he remembered Chester ranting about 'door glitches.' Upon sighting Suzie, the puny sasquatch had said something like: ' _What are you doing in here? The door glitches were supposed to be fixed!'_ Maybe some sort of malfunction had occurred, and that was the reason he and Suzie had come out someplace else…Randall didn't like that theory. If that was true, then where were they?

The two monsters climbed down, back into the long shadows that stretched across the grass. Both were really beginning to feel how tired they were; neither had slept in nearly twenty-four hours, what with the trek from camp into the city, staying up all night during the raid, and hanging out in the Monster World afterwards.

Suzie was sharing similar fears. She slumped against the trunk of the tree, too fatigued to think clearly. "They all seemed so nice! Baboso said he'd send us to the outskirts of New Orleans. This doesn't look like New Orleans to me…You don't think the whole thing was a setup, do you?"

"That's possible, I guess," Randall couldn't believe any of them would do such a thing, especially when it was obvious their group of outcasts needed help. He couldn't picture Fungus taking part—the guy was too much of a 'do-gooder,' and such a plot didn't suit him. Randall concluded that this hadn't been a setup. "No. Those three—Baboso, Fungus, and Nick—they're not the sort of monsters who'd do that. They actually wanted to help us, so why would they send us here?"

"But where is 'here?' I don't recognize anything!"

Randall squinted into the orange, gold, and yellow sunset. "Some other time zone, it looks like."

"Oh, goody. The others are going to eat us alive! All this travel-by-door really gives you jet lag, doesn't it? How did you ever manage when you did it for a living?"

"You get used to it, and you're never in a kid's room for long, anyway. I only wonder how long we're gonna be in this place," he looked through a gap between the trees at the town's edge. "It's too late to go back. They'll have deactivated the door by now."

"Ugh. So what now?' Suzie pulled her feelers in frustration.

"Let's eat and get some sleep. We'll figure it out in the morning." He knew she was only frustrated because of lack of sleep. He was unbelievably exhausted, too, and a bit of rest would help clear their heads.

A lot of wild mushrooms were scattered around this patch of trees. They would satisfy their hunger at least a little. After resting, they'd be able to focus more on their new problem. It was wise to take turns keeping watch for people or wild animals. But neither had the energy nor the will to stay awake right now, so they resolved to find hidden spots for sleeping. Randall got up on a sturdy branch, and Suzie nestled among the roots, hidden by the thick bushes.

"I'll brave the snakes," she vowed, settling in. "Randall, I know I try to find a bright side for everything, but to be honest, finding one here is really, really hard." Despite the ground of prickly, wild grass, she fell asleep fast and was as still as a rock. The lack of shelter didn't faze her; she was too tired to care about such luxuries. Sounds of nocturnal birds singing their songs helped to lull her to sleep, wrapped up in one of the stolen hospital blankets.

Randall curled up on the branch, trying to get comfortable. The fresh bandages under the jacket were a relief to have on again. The pain was numbed slightly with the soothing pressure. There was one opinion on his mind that he was keeping to himself—perhaps they should have taken the offer to stay in the Monster World.

…

When the sun rose, Suzie was confused as to where she was, but quickly remembered. "Oh, right," she said to herself, looking out at the vast, marshy meadow. The sunrise bathed it in soft pinks and yellows, and whole flocks of birds flew around in search of bugs to eat. Many of the birds were species she didn't recognize. "We're really off course, if none of the animals look the same—hey, Randall, are you awake?"

There was no answer from the tree.

"Randy?" Suddenly in a panic, she scrambled up to the wide branch where he was lying.

She exhaled upon finding him alive. But he was out like a light. Even when she shook him, he barely stirred. That's when she noticed his dangerously high fever. The pulse accompanying it seemed unnaturally fast. The symptoms worried her. Deciding to check on the wound, she unzipped his jacket and cut open the wrappings.

"Oh, God…" the scales were in such bad shape; some of them looked close to dead. It looked like a fresh gunshot wound instead of one that was several days old. Swollen and glistening with violet-red blood, streaks of dark veins spread out far from the wound. It was located just above his lower set of arms, and now his whole torso was looking mangled.

Suzie hurriedly replaced the bandages, which was hard since Randall refused to wake up. She bit her lip and tried to stay calm. How were they supposed to get ahold of medicines when Nicholas, Baboso, and Fungus would be heading to the bayous? It was obvious to her that she and Randall were nowhere near Louisiana.

Seeing Randall like this was very disturbing. He was the most adaptable of the group—no matter where he was he always found a way to survive. Seeing him this ill and weak; it was amazing he had held out this long. Then again, they _were_ monsters. A mere infection wasn't too hard to deal with—unless it was as bad as this.

She perched on the edge of an adjacent branch when she saw Randall beginning to stir.

He instantly felt the fever and sighed without words. He could tell he had gotten worse overnight.

"Don't try to move, just lie there. There's no way Nicholas and those other factory guys will find us now. It's time we took matters into our own hands," Suzie announced. "I'm going to head back into town to try and find something. I know human medicine isn't made for us, but maybe something super-powerful will work."

Randall admitted she was right. "Anything's worth a shot at this point…Hold on, you're heading where? Now? It's daylight, you'll be seen!"

"It's early, still. The sun is barely up. If I leave now, I can be back before the rush hour. Maybe I can find out where we are."

"No. If you're caught—"

"What other choice is there?" the shudder in her voice revealed how scared she truly was. "Besides, how can you go out raiding like this? Can you even sit up?"

Randall gritted his teeth and adjusted so that he was sitting upright against the trunk. The movement was slow and excruciating; pain coursed through his torso relentlessly. "OK, maybe you're right…but try to find some sort of disguise if you head into town. And stick to the roofs and alleys; keep a knife on you, just in case. That town looks pretty small; who knows how they'll gang up on a monster?"

Suzie hopped down the tree and removed every knife from the backpack to store in various jacket pockets. She left a few water bottles for Randall and tossed him some more wild mushrooms. "I'll eat later. I wanna get going before people start filling the streets."

"Well, it's the weekend. Maybe everyone'll want to sleep in," Randall hoped. "Promise me you'll try to stay safe, OK? And don't do anything stupid."

"Promise." Suzie wasn't so sure of herself. _I promise I'll try, at least._ Supply raids had never been her specialty. For fear of chickening out, she set off on a flat-out run through the trees.

Randall was left alone; left for the horrible waiting game, up here in a tree. If anything happened to her, he'd never be able to forgive himself. What would Bernard, Becca and Naomi say if they knew he had let her go out on her own like this? The girl was an expert forager and a mountain of knowledge, courtesy of her bookworm status, but a solo supply raid? He had a hard time convincing himself this would go smoothly.

…

Suzie kept running until reaching the houses. With the rising sun, and no people out yet, she could take a moment to have a better look around. She squatted by a fence and gazed down the street.

This community was on the older side; a few houses were rundown, in need of repairs. All were simple one- or two-story places—the oldest ones with moss growing on their roofs. This particular road was not paved, so she resolved to brush out her footprints if she had to walk on it. Or better yet, avoid it entirely. Judging by the various tools, boat, and farm equipment lying around, this town was comprised largely of farmers and fishermen.

She set out on a journey through the backyards, unsure where to go. There must be a doctor's office somewhere…

When she passed through a backyard, she found a full clothesline. Someone must have forgotten to bring in the laundry last night, for everything was bone-dry. She swiped a long, women's skirt and an oversized sweatshirt with a hood. "Not the most fashionable disguise, but whatever works." She pulled them on and used the hood to hide her feelers before moving on.

There were some early risers driving around, but they were easy to avoid. Suzie ducked nonchalantly between houses whenever a car came. By the third time this happened, though, she noticed something odd—the cars all drove on the left side of the road! Also, the license plates looked different from most vehicles she was familiar with. "Oh no…oh no, no, no, no…" she panicked. "The left side of the road—what _continent_ are we on?! Oh, Becca, if you only knew how we ended up _here_ , of all places!"

This new piece of knowledge scared her. If they were somewhere in Europe—which now seemed very plausible, given the landscape—the rest of the group was an ocean away! How were they supposed to get back to camp with an obstacle with that?

She took several deep breaths. "Focus, Suzanne, focus…Find some medicine, first. Then deal with the next problem."

She stuck to the shadows on her way deeper into town. The cars drove slowly, but more and more of them were appearing. Eventually the dirt roads transitioned into paved ones, and the houses were more pristine and tidy-looking. She found herself venturing into a town square, where a few small shops were located. Good. Maybe there was a drugstore or something. She wandered down the sidewalk, keeping her eyes peeled.

A lot of buildings here had a strange, medieval look to them. Some were actually made entirely of stone or even crumbling near the rooftops. Suzie would have stopped to look around more, but was in too much of a hurry. One of the most interesting sights around was a tall church built of stone bricks. It was an ancient-looking structure, with a tower housing a bell, and was architecturally old, as if it had been built in the Middle Ages. She paused to gaze at it in admiration. "Wow. Once Randall is better, we've got to look around inside." She had no plans whatsoever to steal from a church, but such a fascinating building would be worth exploring.

She made sure her tail was tucked under the dowdy skirt while strolling around in the open. It was so quiet and deserted that there didn't seem to be much need to hide. At this early hour, all the shops were closed. There had to be something here…she wandered further down the street, reading the shop signs.

"Oh, dear…" Everything was written in French. "We're definitely not in Louisiana, Randall."

She didn't know much French, but found a tiny clinic wedged between a dentists' office and a little grocery store. "This must be a small town. I could probably walk from one end to the other in just a few minutes."

The clinic was one of a long row of shops all joined together. The front entrance she didn't want to risk breaking into; that would be more noticeable from the street. So she went around back in search of another entrance. She did find one, but instead of a red-painted emergency exit, the door was plain, without any sign of a security alarm. She pulled out two knives to use as lockpicks. "Oh, please don't have an alarm. That's the last thing I need!" Her hands shook so badly that the task was made all the more heart-pounding. When a ' _click_ ' was finally heard, she held her breath while opening the door…just a crack…

The silence within was too good to be true.

Suzie adjusted the hood before slipping in. If there were cameras, she'd best keep her face hidden. The lack of alarm system was making her very wary—this must be a close-knit community if the owners of this place didn't feel the need for tighter security.

The dark corridor was carpeted; her feet were muffled as she crept along; she could almost hear her own heart thumping! Any moment, someone might come waltzing through the front door to open up for the day. This was why she didn't do many supply raids. It was impossible what to expect.

Locks were picked like crazy, as she broke into every room. The examination rooms had useless things like tongue depressors and cotton balls, but some had sterile bandages ripe for the picking. Locked up in cabinets were medicines like mild painkillers and things for headaches. Suzie was sure she was getting close…in a rural, remote town such as this, there had to be emergency antibiotics on hand. But with every break-in, she was met with disappointment.

"C'mon! Give me something!" she cried out in desperation, slamming a drawer closed.

The final door turned out to be a godsend.

It had multiple locks, which made short work of one of the knives. Suzie squinted in the dim light to find important-looking bottles, all neatly lined up along the shelves. There were syringes and needles, and heavy-duty first aid supplies, perfect for dressing serious wounds. She immediately zeroed in on the most potent antibiotic there: penicillin. From what she knew, it could be taken to fight infected wounds. The label was written in multiple languages, and English was one of them. She grabbed a couple of bottles, most of the syringes, and the bottles of rubbing alcohol. Human medicine didn't a huge effect on monsters—this she knew. But penicillin was pretty strong stuff, and this particular kind had to be injected, not swallowed. It was worth a shot.

Suzie stuffed the findings into the backpack and hugged it. Lives depended on this stuff! Namely, Randall's. _Finally! After all this hassle, we've got something going right!_ She was so overwhelmed with relief that she almost cried. She didn't, though; now was not the time.

Before making a getaway, she couldn't resist exploring the clinic's waiting area in search of something to read. Every book she owned was back at camp, and she would die of boredom without some good literature.

Unfortunately, everything was written in French. "Hmm…might as well learn the language if we're stuck here." She grabbed a dozen of the children's picture books, having no interest in the magazines. As an afterthought, she took all the coloring books, crayons and stickers, too. Maybe they would help lighten the mood out in the strange wilderness of this countryside. A couple of tourists' brochures lined a wall, many of them with copies in various languages. Suzie recognized a few like Italian and German, but French was the most predominant. She grabbed a copy of everything. To her astonishment, the local brochures contained a few small maps of the area. These were not the best at pinpointing their exact location, but they might provide a few clues.

 _This is a disaster. Help is on the way, but we're not even on the same continent! Nick and the factory guys will never find us now…Hang in there, Randall. Don't die and leave me here all alone…_ She went back down the carpeted hall. Randall was probably in a feverish fit by now and she couldn't leave him for too long.

Quite a bit of time had passed, and it was almost full daylight. Even more cars drove around, and a lot of people were out and about, bundled up in fall coats and scarves to fight the chill. Suzie had a lot of trouble getting back onto the wild plains of grass. The disguise proved to be the best defense. When she pulled her hood forward, stayed several feet away and walked all hunched over, the humans passing by only gave her funny looks. They thought she was a harmless old lady, huddled over, completely incapable of breaking and entering.

However, a man caught a glimpse of her eel's tail. Before he could turn for a double-take, Suzie had already dashed out of sight.

…

She tripped over rocks and jumped over hollows in the ground, bypassing the town completely. This way was a lot longer, but safer. Very few roads led out of town. She kept to what bushes and trees there were, in hopes she wouldn't be noticed. Such a fear had been unnecessary thus far. By going out of town, Suzie was able to get another look at the landscape. Stretching all the way out to the horizon were marshes, fields of grass, and hills. In the distance were a few farms with herds of pretty horses or cattle. The air may be on the chilly side, but it wasn't too bad for early winter. Suzie wasn't sure what the weather in France was like this time of the year; if she and Randall were close to the sea, maybe they could expect a mild winter.

Along the way, she examined the local plants in search of something to forage. Most of it consisted of reeds, and plants that normally bloomed in spring and summer. She tasted a bit of everything but most of the roots had a bitter flavor. Not very appetizing, but at least it was nourishment. Monsters could eat practically anything, anyways, so she gathered up as much as she could carry. The birds flying across the sky would end up as a regular food source, it seemed.

"There's so much to do," she spoke aloud. "Except for a couple of knives, we don't have any tools or weapons. I should've looked for some in town when I had the chance."

When she re-entered the little grove of trees, the tiny brochure maps had been studied multiple times. Randall was still conscious, but looking extremely ill. He had managed to climb down to the trunk's base, despite the physical pain he was in. A bunch of broken twigs were scattered around, as if he had been trying to build a fire. It seemed the pain had overcome him, so he gave up and just sat there against the tree to wait for her.

"You shouldn't be moving around." Suzie said once she reached him.

He was looking very weary, but relived to see her returning without a scratch. Not wanting to appear sentimental, he went straight to the point. "Well? What did you find? Maps, medicine, what?"

"You're never going to believe this. Check these out!" she showed the bottle of penicillin and the other findings. "This place is pretty isolated; I bet that's why this stuff is kept in a doctor's clinic at all. I think I know where we are too: somewhere in southern France."

The news was incomprehensible. Randall blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me! I'm positive. Here, look at the maps I found…"

He was astounded by the news. He listened as she explained all the clues and evidence, courtesy of brochures and shop signs in the town. At the same time, she unpacked the valuable medicine and began rubbing one of his arms with alcohol. Ant amount of penicillin would do Randall some good. They decided on using a medium-sized dose to start with.

"How did we end up in Europe?" Randall questioned to no one as Suzie fiddled with a syringe. "That's practically on the other side of the world…" He frowned. "The guys in Scream Industries must have sent us here on purpose, or gone back on their word. I can't think of any other explanation—no one could make a mistake this huge."

"No, that can't be it! You thought differently a little while ago. Baboso was too friendly and eager to help us from the very start. And I thought you said that Fungus guy could be trusted. You worked with him before, didn't you?"

"Yes, but…" Randall trailed off. Fungus knew the door mechanisms too well to make such a mistake. But if this wasn't a set-up, what had happened? How could such a 'door glitch' occur, anyway? It was a mystery he longed to solve.

"So, what now?" Suzie asked. "The others will be worried sick! It's already been a whole day, maybe longer, considering the different time zone. Becca and I have never been apart this long; never in our whole lives!" The whole idea of being lost, so far away, made her hands shaky with nerves.

"Relax! Relax. Nicholas is sure to go to the Human World now that he knows where Bernard is. I mean, after so long, he's bound to go looking for his father, right? The factory guys know where to find the campsite; once they realize we're missing, a search will be launched…maybe. I doubt Carrie will bend the law even more and risk getting herself banished."

"Do you really think anyone will look for us?"

Randall sighed quietly. Being stranded here without anyone's knowledge was not fun to think about. "…I hope so."

Suzie filled up half a syringe with medicine. Her hands still quivered, but managed to minister the stuff. It was like an enormous weight being lifted; all the hassle and panic of the last week had been too much to handle. But at least one problem was taken care of.

"This had better work," Randall winced, clutching his bandaged gunshot wound. "If no one comes for us, we'll just have to get back on our own. Best if I take it easy until this heals up…stupid gator hunters."

Suzie bit her lip and looked between the trees towards the town. There didn't seem to be immediate danger there, but this landscape was so much more open. Hunting for food would have to done discreetly and carefully. How long would they have to hold out here, anyway? "You know, Becca would really tear your head off if she knew where we are."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Randall groaned as he lay down on the grass. "Ambushing Chester in that kid's room was my idea in the first place."

"This isn't your fault…you just stay there and let that medicine work. I guess I'll try to bring down some food. I'm starving!"

"Same here…leave me one knife, in case something comes along. I don't know what predators to expect out here, so we'll just figure that out as we go."

Just before Suzie crept deeper into the grove of trees, she turned to him. "Hey, thanks for coming back. If you had stayed in the Monster World, I'd be here on my own."

Randall wasn't sure how to respond to this bout of gratitude. So he simply said, "You're welcome."

When she was out of sight, he tried to stay awake, but the fever was making him drowsy. The infection wouldn't heal if he didn't rest, so he tried to get comfortable amongst the tree roots. He decided to take a quick look at the tourists' brochures. They told him that the vast countryside around them was near a place called the 'Camargue,' a natural wetland region in the south of France. From what he could tell, the nearby town was at the northernmost point of the Camargue; just south of here was a safe haven of wilderness. Once he was better, perhaps they could travel there and figure out what to do next.

All this stress was driving him crazy, and Randall soon succumbed to his exhaustion. But it wasn't easy to relax his mind. "Stranded in some marshland in France—how do we get back now?" The theory that this predicament wasn't some accidental 'door glitch' still bothered him.

 **This arch of the story was fun to write because I got to do lots of research on geography and actual places to make things more or less accurate. The Camargue in France really does have a lot of bird species, and the town Suzie goes to is inspired by the real-life town of Aigues-Mortes, which has well-preserved medieval buildings. I've never been outside of my Canadian home before, so doing the research was lots of fun.**

 **Only 10 more chapters to go! We're making good time. :)**


	26. Sisters and Brothers

**Double update. The group now has help from an unlikely source, but with Randall and Suzie still lost, the others are extremely worried about them, especially Becca. News from the Monster universe doesn't do much to raise her spirits. We also have the first appearance of Randall's brother, whose appearance I've changed a little since the last time this story was posted. We'll learn more about him later on. :) Enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Five: Sisters and Brothers

Becca tried repeatedly to go out on a search party (consisting only of herself), but Bernard scolded terribly and wouldn't hear of it. Her case of pneumonia had progressed quickly. She was too ill to be wandering around the swamp, let alone moving about the crowded New Orleans in broad daylight.

"No," Bernard said firmly, as if scolding a child. "You have to stay here and rest, young lady. All this stress is making you worse."

Becca coughed damply. It was painful and she took several hoarse breaths before replying. "But it's been over two days! They should be back by now. Something has happened and if you think I'm just going to sit around while our best hunter and my little sister are God-knows-where—"

"Becca, I think you're just delirious," Bernard was just as worried, if not more, but remained perfectly calm as always. "I'll go scout the city's edge myself if they're not back by nightfall."

"Why not now? I can't wait that long."

"Well, you'll have to. It's still daylight; better to wait till sunset to avoid being spotted." Bernard led her back to the lean-to shelter.

It was raining lightly, and the thick trees and hastily-crafted roof were the only way to keep dry. With early winter creeping up, the rain was biting with cold. The air was chilled today and did nothing to help with two monsters ill with pneumonia. Becca huddled up and hugged her knees and tail tight against her body.

Most of the worn-out blankets were being hogged by Naomi. The lavender monster was awake, but looked as if she'd rather not be. She was so pale that she looked like a ghost; her three eyes were bloodshot and every movement she made was slow with exhaustion. Her coughing fits were dangerous with fireballs, and she had nearly lost her voice because of them. She was so weak and feverish that all she could do nowadays was rest and wait. Wait for Randall and Suzie to return with medicine, or wait to die…that was how her over-dramatic mind imagined her fate, anyway. Despite being stuck in a swamp—her absolute least favorite place in the world, always so muddy and infested with bugs—she didn't even have the will to complain about anything. She sat up when Becca appeared and spoke with a damp croakiness in her voice. "What do you think happened?"

"Kidnapped, maybe? That's my guess. Whenever humans spot weird creatures, or new species, the first thing they do is capture and study it. And a hospital would be packed with people!" She sighed and shuddered. The dreadful, sick feeling in her chest wasn't just from the illness. It was amazing how a wee bit of worry could turn into fear. She had never been apart from Suzie for more than a day. She and Randall would never be found if they all just sat here! Becca crawled out from the lean-to and stood up. "I'm heading into town. They've got to be there, somewhere. Where's my shotgun?"

"Oh no, you don't!" Bernard called from across the clearing. He hurried over the hollow log where the guns were stored and snatched up Becca's shotgun before she could reach it. He held it at arm's length away from her.

"But—"

"Stay! I won't have either of you wandering around so sick. But, if it will reassure you, fine; I'll head out to look for them now. With your stubbornness, it's pointless putting up a fight."

Naomi wasn't sure if that was a good idea and Becca frowned. With his size, bright red complexion and colorful feathers, he'd be an easy target.

"I'll stick to the nearby swamps and keep and keep an eye out until nightfall. Then I'll head into town," he explained. "I was going to catch some fish for dinner, anyway. The mud around the river will make for adequate camouflage." He was loaded down with a fishing spear, rod, and other gear. "Now, I want both of you to stay put, alright? I'm just as worried as you, but losing our heads won't solve anything…let's give them one more day. If they don't turn up by then, we'll risk another search into the city."

"But where would we even start?" Naomi mumbled as he left.

"No idea." Becca doubled over in another coughing fit. It felt as though her lungs and gills were full of fluid. It was a most uncomfortable feeling and getting more painful by the hour. When she recovered, she groaned miserably. Bernard was right about her getting worse. The medicine Randall and Suzie had left to find was still on the group's mind. That was another problem, on top of the two being missing.

To distract her mind, Naomi cracked open one of Suzie's books. "Wanna hear a joke?" she asked harmlessly. "'I used to be addicted to soap…but I'm clean now.'"

"Don't you start doing that, too! Suzie's one-liners were bad enough."

…

To stay hidden and blend in with the surroundings, Bernard gave himself a good coating of mud. The sticky stuff was cold this time of the year, but he put up with it. Once much of his red skin was camouflaged, he thought it safe enough to venture out onto the riverbank. The city was far across on the other side and alive with activity in the late afternoon rain. Tour and fishing boats went by often, all full of people taking photos or just enjoying the scenery. The many pairs of eyes posed a problem for Bernard; he ducked behind trees and bushes often, but never stopped moving along the riverbank, scanning for any monstrous signs of life.

"Two days…they've got to be around somewhere…" Bernard whispered, peeling out from the foliage. Now that he was alone, he allowed his fears to come into play. They couldn't have gotten lost—well, Suzie would have, had she been on her own, but with Randall, such a thing was unlikely. Bernard took some comfort in that. He had grown to think of the girls as his own daughters and hated the thought of anyone being left on their own. Since learning of Randall's criminal past, he wasn't sure if the lizard could be trusted. So far, he seemed sincere.

"That man had better keep to his word." Bernard spoke aloud. "This is the only chance he gets to redeem himself."

He went on patrolling, just out of sight beyond the first few trees. It couldn't hurt to search. The marching went until afternoon became evening. He had gone far downstream and back up in a giant loop, ending near where he first began. If the missing monsters were to show up, he was sure they would try to cross the river; it was the only way back to camp. But there wasn't a trace of them. Not even a footprint to track. Eventually, he stopped at a tiny lagoon to catch some fish as planned.

"Just like old times," he said nostalgically while baiting a hook. His powerful gorilla-like arms cast the line out far and he sat down for a breather. It was hard to enjoy his favorite pastime right now. It was impossible to concentrate! Two fifths of the team was missing and here he was, fishing for supper! He resolved to do a more active search on the way back to camp. With twilight approaching, there would be less danger under the cover of darkness.

A sharp tug on the line broke Bernard's chain of thought and he hauled in a large catfish. Soon, a couple of good-sized ones were heaped in a pile, along with a fat snake that had tried to attack him. He had snatched the long thing up and crushed its head with a mere squeeze of his fist. "Nasty little pests; 'least there aren't too many out these days." That was one thing to be thankful for. With the colder weather, all the local reptiles were more sluggish and slow. Hopefully there wouldn't be any snow in the future. In this humid, warm part of the country, snow would be a rarity.

He cast out a final line. Another concern of his was what to do about the medicine the girls needed. The welfare of the group was his responsibility; he had to do something fast if they were to get better. While sitting there waiting for a bite, he tried coming up with ways to sneak out to the hospital on his own. So many risks were involved—his sheer size being the biggest one. The group sill had the Amish hats and coats from Ohio. "I suppose they can make a decent disguise…"

He was so wrapped up in anxiety that he failed to notice how dark it was getting. He reeled in the last fish, but a sharp snap of a twig made him look up. He smashed the fish's head on a rock to kill it quickly and pulled out a baseball bat from his backpack. It was a battered old thing, found in a dumpster during the trip from Mississippi. "Why now? I don't have time to be dealing with hunters _now_ , of all times."

He edged around the trunk, trying to hear what the hunters were saying. Their voices were getting louder, but their figures were still cloaked in shadow. Bernard decided to stay hidden and observe. Maybe they would pass right by and he wouldn't have to deal with them at all. But as the trio came closer, the sight was enough to make him question his sanity. He squinted harder at the silhouettes, not believing what he was seeing…

…A trio of monsters.

It had to be! No humans could look like these three profiles against the twilight. One was rather small with long chicken-like legs, one was massive and muscular, and the third was slender with a long reptilian body. Bernard squinted; the silhouette looked a lot like Randall. "What on Earth?..." he listened in as they approached his hiding spot.

"…OK, OK, the hard part's over, and thank goodness for that," a red, bespectacled fellow fumbled with a piece of paper, on which was written directions. "All that's left is to follow the map, find the place, do the drop-off, and then—"

"Will you relax, Jeff?" the reptilian monster came into view. "You'd think you've never stepped foot through a door before."

"I have so! I used to be a Laugher before managing the Floor. I've just never gone this far in!"

"Everything's going smoothly. Goretega is watching the door, no one saw us go in, we have directions, the supplies, and we're fine. So quit freaking out! I should crack your head open to see what's going on in that panicky brain of yours."

Bernard inhaled with surprise. It sure _looked_ like Randall from a distance; the resemblance wasn't exactly alike, but it was close enough. This man was also multi-limbed and lizard-like, but with four legs and only two arms, the left of which had a geometric-pattern sleeve tattoo done in black ink. His scales were a pewter grey shade, with splashes of purple and blue down his back. The three purple-tipped fronds on his head were very long; he was a bit taller than Randall, and maybe a few years older, but his eyes were the exact same shade of vivid green.

"I still don't understand why you didn't contact me before Randall hightailed back out here!" The not-quite-look-a-like went on. "You gave me your word, Jeff, that you'd give me any info on his whereabouts."

"Well, he and the girl left in a hurry—"

"And that's another thing I'm having trouble believing: what are the odds of a whole _bunch_ of banished guys finding each other out here? I mean, seriously, what are the odds? I know Randy; he was probably making it up or exaggerating to manipulate everybody. He tends to do that."

A new voice commented calmly. "If you didn't believe us, then why did you come?"

Bernard shuddered in amazement…That couldn't be who he thought it was…he hadn't heard that voice in many years. Not bothering to keep quiet, he stepped out of hiding. The three all stopped talking to star at his emerging frame.

It really _was_ him. Now in his thirties, taller, broader, and staring, just as bewildered, at Bernard. After twelve years, it was a shock…seeing his father _here_ of all places, covered head-to-toe in the mud and grime of the swamp.

Fungus seemed to be the leader of the expedition and was the first to break the awkwardness. "Oh! Hello! You must be Mr. Brennen. How fortunate running into you here. We can explain everything—"

Nicholas and Bernard didn't listen. They both rushed forward to embrace in a happy reunion. Neither could speak, for both were so overjoyed! The big bear hug was the only thing needed to reassure the other that this was no hallucination. Bernard was so happy he let out a few tears, not caring if anyone saw. Seeing his only child again after all these years…it was too good to be true.

"You're really here!" Nick began. "When we actually made it into the swamp, I started to get worried, but—Dad, I thought you were _dead_! No one ever hears from anyone out here, so everyone makes assumptions that—"

"I know, I know," Bernard wiped his eyes and smiled. "I'm fine! My God, look how you've grown! You're so tall! And you're teeth have grown in."

"Yeah; still have a ways to go, though," Nicholas touched one of his angler fish canines, disappointed they weren't as impressive or scary-looking as his father's.

"Wait. What are you _doing_ out here? It's dangerous!" Bernard snapped back to his senses. "And who are these fellows?" He nodded at the reptilian monster. "You look an awful lot like someone I know. Are you-?"

"Yes, I'm Randall's brother. Unfortunately." The pewter grey lizard answered before the words were said. "When Jeff here told me about the trouble your group was in, I invited myself along on this smuggling operation. Guess you were right," he turned to the short bespectacled monster. "Randall really was telling the truth; I owe you an apology."

Bernard looked confused. "Hold on—'smuggling operation?' What are you talking about? You've been looking for us?"

"Talk to this guy," the brother pushed Fungus forward. "A good bout of rational talking might calm him down. He's been a wreck ever since we got here."

"Dad, have your friends returned?" Nick turn to his father. "You know, Randall and Suzanne?"

"No."

"We were afraid of that. Maybe you should sit down. Something has happened on our side which you should hear about."

"In due time. Come, I'll take you all back to camp. It's a lot safer and we can talk there." Bernard put a protective arm around his son's shoulder. "How on Earth did you get here, Nick? How were you not seen?"

"Well, it wasn't easy, I'll tell you that." The younger monster showed him a satchel he was carrying as they walked through the undergrowth. "There's a lot to explain, but this is why we're here: antibiotics, courtesy of Svenghouli Hospital…Well, sort of. They don't exactly know they're missing, but still…"

Bernard excitedly opened the pouch to find bottles of medicine, along with other emergency medical supplies. There was even a list of instructions on how to treat serious illnesses. Whoever had written it had elegant, looping handwriting. Everything was new, clean, and exactly what the group needed right now.

Nicholas went on. "The CEO of Scream Industries managed to get these for us; she pulled a few strings. One of the nurses there is a friend of hers, and she got all this for you. The hospital might be looking for them, but who's going to find them out here?"

Bernard was beginning to piece together what was going on. "So that's where Randall and Suzie ended up! Did you meet them? Are they back in the Monster World?"

Nicholas, Fungus, and Samuel Boggs all looked at each other. "Not exactly."

Now Bernard was ever more worried. However, he couldn't help holding his boy close as he led them further into the swamp. Twelve years was such a long time…there was much to catch up on.

…

The last of the day's light was just about faded and nocturnal animals could be heard in the distance. Not as many insects were out this time of year, so it was quiet within the clearing. The temperature was beginning to drop, so Naomi had coughed up a fire. Golden shadows flickered about pleasantly, and gave off some warmth, but did nothing to help the moods of the two ill monsters. Of course they didn't feel much better at the sight of the strange silhouettes walking casually into their camp.

" _What the hell_ —?" Becca immediately raised her shotgun and fired into the air. BANG! It was only a scare shot to frighten off the intruders.

"Ahh! What's the big idea?!" Naomi screamed, her hoarse voiced regaining some of its high-pitched nature.

The others all jumped aside or ducked in alarm. "Good grief! No wonder you were banished!" Samuel Boggs reappeared, having vanished into thin air. A few noticed this and instantly wondered if the ability ran in the Boggs' clan.

"Put that thing away, Becca!" Bernard disciplined. "That's no way to treat guests, especially when two are monsters we know!"

"Huh?" she and Naomi perked up in interest. As the party approached, they finally saw the eerily familiar faces, despite them being complete strangers.

"Oh my Lord…" Naomi breathed, staring from Bernard to Nicholas. "You can't possibly be…but how?"

"You're Nicholas Brennen! You've gotten pretty famous out here," Becca greeted, but her hard-faced nature made her more defensive when she looked over at Samuel. "And look at this: another Randall. Just what the world needs." She crossed her arms sarcastically as she walked up to Samuel. "He's mentioned you a few times. What's your name again? Samson? Samuel? One of those, right? The resemblance is close enough, so I hardly need to ask."

"Dr. Samuel Boggs, yes."

"Oh, yeah, you're the psychologist, aren't you?"

"Yes. Currently, I'm working part-time as a counselor at Monsters, Inc. I'm surprised the little trouble-maker even mentioned me. He's not on good terms with us, but I—just wanted to check up on him." Sam looked a little sad as he said this. He gestured for the quivering Fungus to come forward. The red monster was mortally terrified of the shotgun in Becca's hands, but managed to stammer a, "H-Hi."

A few more introductions were made, with the strangers explaining their reason for being here and handing over the satchel of medicine.

"You brought it! Oh, thank you!" Naomi almost cried with relief. She was suffering the most from the pneumonia. Her stuck-up, spoiled ways were cast aside in gratitude. "I'd give you all a hug, but I don't want to get anyone else sick."

"Wait a minute, who told you to get these?" Becca demanded quietly. "Where are the others?"

Fungus was about to call Nicholas over to help explain, but Bernard had pulled him aside. The father and son were talking happily, telling of major events that had happened over the years. They sat in the firelight, half-oblivious to the others' conversation. Fungus had not the heart to spoil their reunion. "Well," he began, turning back to Becca and Naomi. "They're…not here. There was a—a—door glitch, and—"

"What the hell does that mean?"

Fungus was too afraid of her to continue, so Samuel took over. "It means that the wrong door was used, but that's putting it lightly. Hey, Nick! Come over here! It'll be better if we all explained this…"

The three visitors all took turns telling of the last two days. They informed the outcasts that Randall and Suzie had indeed made it to the Monster World, and had gotten help in finding the medicine. As the story was told, Bernard handed the first dose of antibiotics to Becca and Naomi. Smuggling the stuff out of the hospital hadn't been easy, but was managed in the end. The fourth monster of the party, Baboso Goretega, was apparently back in Scream Industries, keeping an eye on the active door they had come through. He was a slow runner and wouldn't have done well avoiding humans, anyway, so it made sense to stay behind on the inside. It was very late at night in the factory right now, and Becca knew from her own experience that using a door unauthorized was a very serious offense.

"So, you guys are pretty much risking your own necks to help us, is that it?" she asked.

"Pretty much," said Nicholas.

Samuel nodded. "I've been trying to sneak out here for months, to search for Randy."

"I thought you didn't get along with him, judging by what he's told us," said Bernard.

"In general, that's true. But this whole punishment is too harsh, even for a pain in the tail like him. No one deserves a lifetime of isolation; fighting off every creature in sight, hunting for food, finding shelter…it'd drive anyone insane! My brother has to come home; his whole being here in the first place _was_ his own fault, but I still want to try and patch things up!" He brushed aside his long fronds anxiously. "But moving on, the reason he and this Suzie girl aren't here is because of Chester Duffy."

"The fellow who brought them into the factory?" Bernard asked.

"Yeah. The guy wasn't keen on helping from the start," said Nicholas.

Fungus shuddered at the mention of the name. "He's the one responsible for the glitch. You see, when Baboso called down the door to send them back here, we were _sure_ it was the right one; one that led to Louisiana."

"Did something go wrong with the system?" asked Becca. "That would be the only way such a mistake could be made."

"Chester overrode the system so that an _unintended_ door came instead. What a shame…so now they're lost. We tried getting Chester to talk the moment we learned of the mistake, but he won't tell us. All he said was that they ended up somewhere in Europe, and—"

The outcasts all cried out at once. "Europe?!" "Are you joking?" "How did this Chester guy do this?"

"He admitted it! Said he was 'getting rid of the riff-raff' and a lot of other choice words," Fungus flinched when everyone raised their voice. "He won't tell us _where_ in Europe he sent them, though. We've tried everything from bribery to threats! It's no good; he won't say any more."

Becca punched a fist into her opposite hand angrily. "Bring the guy here. I'll make him talk! He's the reason Randall and my sister are lost on another continent!"

"Becca…" Bernard warned, too distraught to scold her.

"Actually, what Chester has done may turn out for the better," Samuel pointed out. "A lot of monsters at Scream Industries learned of the 'visit from two banished monsters.' Some felt sympathetic towards them, after hearing their story. Rumors fly through factories fast, you know. You three were mentioned too, and all the problems your little band has faced lately."

"It's gotten a lot of them thinking," said Nicholas. "Some are feeling that banishment may be too harsh of a punishment."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" Naomi began. Her face then lit up with a ray of hope. "Wait…does that mean what I think it means?"

"Well, nothing has happened yet, but if Jeff and I bring up the issue at Monsters, Inc. as well," Samuel began "Perhaps with enough supporters, something can be done to end all of this." He looked around the campsite at the makeshift lean-to, the fire, the collected tools, and the weapons lying about. It broke his heart to see anyone living like this, cut off completely from their world.

"You mean…end our banishments?" Bernard whispered after a long pause.

"You heard right, Dad. Maybe. It might take a while to convince the CDA, but with the right supports, maybe it will happen." Nicholas was hopeful. "You'll be able to meet your granddaughter, then."

"My—wait, what?" Bernard sat up straight as a board. Being a grandpa was news to him. As his son pulled him aside for another family conversation, Becca and Naomi still had some concerns.

"That would be too good to be true, but what about the others?" Naomi coughed raspingly.

"Baboso is going to try and locate the door that was used," Fungus said quickly. "He's making me help—how did I get roped into this chaos?! I don't even work at the same factory, I manage a whole Laugh Floor, am still waiting for my work evaluation from my boss, and I missed another Laugh meeting in order to sneak out here tonight. The last thing I need is more stress."

"Will you relax?" Samuel said calmly. "If all goes well, everyone in this camp can come home eventually. All it will take is a lot of convincing on our side."

But Fungus kept on rambling. "Not to mention, finding those two will be impossible if they've moved on. I doubt either of them will just wait around for help. I know I wouldn't. They have no idea what is happening on our side."

"My sister would wait around, but not him," said Becca. "He'd either just find a new place to stay, or try to get back here on his own. Suzie would stick with him; that I'm certain of." She was still scared about the prospect, but kept a stern face to hide it. Randall had promised he would return Suzie to safety; would that promise span across an ocean and a continent?

"Please, do your best to find them." Bernard said. "If they haven't moved on, there's still a chance. Try to get this Chester guy to help. He's the only one who will make the search easier."

Becca couldn't see how the situation would get better. Never before had her sister been so far away for so long. She stood up to pace around nervously, not letting anyone see the tears forming in her eyes.

…

Nicholas wanted to stay longer, but it was only a matter of time until someone discovered the active door. Baboso couldn't be guarding it forever. One good thing that had come from this visit was the hope that no more monsters would have to face what the group had faced. It the group's banishments were lifted, that is.

"Give us some time," Samuel advised. "It may take weeks, possibly months, but it'll give you the freedom to come home."

"Thank you for all you are doing," said Bernard, truly grateful. He gave his son one final bear hug that threatened to crush bones. "Promise me you'll try and visit, alright? We'll be here all winter. And next time, bring some photos of this granddaughter of mine! I've been in the dark! You're sure you can't stay longer?"

"I want to, Dad, believe me. But it's just not safe for us to be out here too long. This whole thing has gotten a lot of monsters riled up. I don't think anyone would like it if they found out we were wandering through closets."

Bernard nodded in understanding. "Of course…Then I guess good bye for now. Stay safe on the way home, son."

Fungus and Samuel lingered to speak with Becca and Naomi. The blabbering Fungus was still in a nervous state. "OK, we'll do what we can to find your friends, but I really don't expect to find anything, given the odds, unless—"

" _Can it_ , Fungus. I can see why Randall hated putting up with you," Samuel rolled his eyes. He reached for the satchel and pulled out a small rectangular case from a side pocket. Pulling Becca aside, he gave it to her. "Look, Miss McKeen, my brother and your sister are lost in Europe, somewhere. I assure you, I'm just as scared as you are. Finding them won't be easy, but we'll do our best. If, somehow, they turn up, will you give these to Randy for me? I bet he's missing them by now."

Becca opened the case to find a pair of glasses: modern, narrow, rectangular lenses with black frames. "Huh. And I thought his squinting was just a bad habit."

The trio left reluctantly, especially Nicholas, who kept looking over his shoulder until the last possible moment until the swamp foliage swallowed the camp from view.

Bernard sat close to the fire, across from the girls. "Well, I guess something good came out of this: medicine. It should start kicking in in a few days…" He read the bottle labels to check for side effects.

"But nothing _else_ came out of this!" Becca cried out. "If those guys don't track down Randall and Suzie, then they're gone. _Forever_." Her voice cracked and she couldn't go on.

Naomi scooted over to give her a reassuring hug. "They'll be back. No matter what. Randall always comes up with crazy modes of transportation. Remember the car-jacking? And the moving van? Maybe this time it'll be something completely insane, like stowing away on a plane."

Becca couldn't picture them sneaking through tight airport security; she became even more depressed.

Bernard tucked the satchel of antibiotics safely away into a hollow log. He then stuck a couple of fish on a skewer to lightly cook them over the fire. "They only thing we can do is wait. Let's eat some dinner and then I want you two to get lots of rest; your next dose of medicine isn't until tomorrow morning. You'll both feel better in no time."

Dinner was a quiet event, with everyone's thoughts elsewhere. Later, Naomi tried on the pair of glasses-which were far too wide for her face—and made a few jokes in an effort to get Becca to smile. It didn't work. Bernard ended up lightening the mood with things that his son had told him; how he now had a daughter-in-law and a little granddaughter who apparently bore some resemblance to him. The fishing business was still in operation, with its reputation fully rebuilt. There hadn't been another outbreak of tainted fish ever since his trial and he was all smiles as he shared the good news. Seeing the man so joyous did make Becca smile eventually.

Before settling down for the night, Bernard said to them, "Randall and Suzie would never just give up. Wherever they are, they're searching for a way back. Of that I'm certain."

"Let's hope so. It's not the same without them." Naomi confessed, huddling up with a patched blanket. Over the months, she had grown to like the lizard, and she thought of Becca and Suzie as her own sisters.

Still, there was a feeling of uncertainty in the air. It hung like a blanket of fog. But there was also the faintest ray of hope as well. All they could do was wait and see if it would grow brighter.


	27. Randall's Resolution

**We've finally come to Randall's big turning point, as he argues with himself over his and Suzie's next course of action. One of my favorite chapters. See you at the bottom of the page! :)**

Chapter Twenty-Six: Randall's Resolution

Back in the south of France, Randall and Suzie were faced with some uncertainty of their own. For an entire week, they held out amongst the trees, staying put for now. Neither said so, but each was hoping Fungus, Baboso, and Nick would show up in search of them. Something as serious as calling an unintended door was sure to be noticed. Until then, the duo was on their own.

The Camargue of France turned out to be a haven for food. So many birds flew across the landscape that there was no need to fret over going hungry. With such a serious infection, though, Randall was unable to help and relied on Suzie to handle the hunting. He hated being so useless, but there didn't seem to be any other option. He had to rest for the gunshot wound to heal. They stayed in the grove of trees for safety. It filled him with nervousness, sending her out to hunt and gather for the both of them. With so little coverage out on the wild marsh, and the town so nearby, it was risky. But Suzie had been careful so far. Her royal blue scales did not blend well with the wilderness, so she donned a disguise. Randall admitted she was getting better at hunting; with no bow and arrows, or slingshot to bring down the birds, she had taken up knife-throwing. With lots of practice, she was getting to be a pretty good shot.

Randall rested in the makeshift camp day and night. The pain in his torso prevented him from moving much, anyway. Suzie administered large doses of penicillin, and to their surprise, the human medicine seemed to be taking effect. It worked very slowly, since it wasn't formulated for monsters, but by the end of the week, Randall found he wasn't in as much pain. The fever subsided, and the infection wasn't looking quite as gory.

"That's going to leave a huge scar." Suzie observed one evening.

"Oh, well. More to add to the collection." Randall looked at various other scars all over his body, most courtesy of alligators in the past. The gunshot scarring wasn't so visible on his right-side profile. But from the left side, it was quite obvious he had been through some trauma. "Maybe it won't be so bad once it's fully healed."

The duo had made a shelter of bush branches, tied to form an overhanging roof. The warm campfire was very small, both to prevent lighting the bushes on fire, and attracting attention from town. It was tempting to build a larger one; Randall was so cold in this early winter air that he sat dangerously close to the flames. Starting it had had to be done the old-fashioned way with a couple of sticks. It took forever; Naomi's fire-breathing had never been missed more at this point.

During his hours awake, Randall passed the time by reading books Suzie had stolen from the doctor's clinic. He felt rather silly, looking at children's picture books, but the pictures really helped to decipher the French words. He and Suzie took turns reading the stories aloud, doing their best with the pronunciation. It was a good way to exercise their brains and keep from going crazy with worry and boredom. The same question was running through each of their minds…

How were they ever going to get back?

…

During the hours alone in the camp, Randall had a lot of time to think clearly, without interruptions. (Given he was still in a great deal of pain, it was very difficult to concentrate.) This whole dilemma was his entire fault, and he was surprised at feeling an incredible amount of guilt over it. It had been over a week since arriving here. Suzie was out foraging for edible greens right now, so he was alone, free to lean back against a tree trunk and argue with himself in complete silence.

 _Had we just_ ignored _the Scarers and Laughers in New Orleans, none of this would have happened! We should have gone straight back to camp and not bothered with them._

 _Ah, but then you wouldn't have found the medicine._

 _But how do I know Fungus and those other two even kept their word? How do I know they didn't just_ say _all those things?_

 _Fungus always does what he's told; that's why he was the perfect minion during the experiments with the scream extractor. And I'm sure Bernard's own son—his own flesh and blood—will keep his word. And Baboso seemed nice enough, and eager to help, right?_

 _I just thought of something…what if Fungus tells my father about this? And Samuel and Rex? My own family might find out what happened and things will get even worse…I don't want them to learn I've been living out here in the wild all this time…especially Dad._

 _Don't you want to see them? When was the last time you spoke to your father, anyway?_

Randall shook his head to clear it. Boy, having a conscience sure was annoying! He doubted his family would care much about his fate. Not enough to come out here looking for him, anyway. There was some comfort knowing he didn't have to deal with that. He stared up at the grey, overcast sky through the branches. Something else was bugging him, too. "The others still don't trust you, Randall…what do you do now?"

 _Go back! Duh! What else?_

 _And face their wrath? Have Becca tear my head off like she swore she would? No thanks._

 _What about Suzie? You can't expect her to go along with whatever your plans are. You may get along just fine and dandy by yourself, but not her. She wouldn't go off on her own._

 _Well, she might. She's getting the hang of knife-throwing, and is an expert forager. If she decided to try and go back on her own, I'm not stopping her. It's important that she gets back to her sister, no matter what._

 _Are you_ crazy _?! That journey is far too dangerous to tackle alone. What if something happened to her? She's just a kid! If any of the others needed help, you'd help them, wouldn't you?_

 _Of course I would help them. I'm trying_ not _to be a heartless jerk. Like Becca said, it's not every monster for themselves out here._

 _Then what are you_ doing _? Giving up, just like that, when you all just reunited? They're gave you a second chance to prove your worth. You know, if you actually lent a hand or two or three, the others will have more faith in you._

 _Well, that would be nice, I'll admit…Wait, hang on. No! Those guys are_ not _my friends._

 _Then why do you care about them? You're not actually going soft on them, are you? Admit it…You care about them an awful lot and don't even realize it, you heartless jerk._

 _Nope. No I don't…do I?...But the journey back to the swamps has got to be thousands of miles! There's no way we'd make it!_

 _But if you don't go, then what? By going back, and keeping your promise to make sure Suzie stays safe, the others will finally trust you again. Don't you want that?_

Randall's inner voices were battling it out. He sat up straighter. He knew what he had to do: Go back…But how? Without a closet door short-cut, it would be quite a trip.

Never in his life had he been very popular. Friends were next to impossible to come by. He didn't want to lose the group and have them hate him forever. If he kept his promise and showed them some loyalty…perhaps they really would trust him again.

Aloud, he announced his new determination. "This is the one chance I get to redeem myself…I'll prove that anyone can change."

…

In the second week after their arrival in France, Randall's infection was nearly healed. Patches of scales were still not in the best shape, but the wound was healed over enough to have the stitches removed. The scarring was by far the largest one to date. It was now safe to stroll around without bandages. Neither he nor Suzie had expected the medicine to work at all, but they sure were grateful it had.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Suzie asked at breakfast early that day. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, and it was still very dark out.

"Better than I have in a while," Randall swallowed a few bites of foraged plants. "Penicillin made for humans; it's a miracle the stuff worked. Who would've thought?"

With knives as their only weapons, foraging made up much of the bulk of their meals. Today's breakfast was no more than bitter-tasting plants mixed with mashed insects and leftover bird meat from yesterday. It didn't bother the two monsters; when you had to survive on wits alone, fancy food was unimportant. Now that he was capable of moving around, Randall's thoughts turned to more pressing matters. "I don't think anyone is coming for us…it's been almost two weeks, so it's time we figure out our next plan. We've got to get back to the others."

"Yeah…" Suzie's face became sad. "They must think we're dead, or run away, or captured by a circus to become a side-show act…Baboso, Fungus and Nick will have met them by now, if the plan worked. Are you sure we shouldn't just wait here a little longer?"

"No. They've had two weeks to search. We're not that far away from the door we came through, so they would have found us by now if it _was_ a door glitch that sent us here. If they sent us here on purpose, we're on our own."

"Then I guess that's it. We're stuck! Stranded in Europe forever! You know what the worst part is? I still can't pronounce anything in these books." She pulled on her feelers, nodding at the French picture books.

"Keep your head on straight. This isn't hopeless; it's just a bit of a challenge." Randall tried to sound reassuring, but it came out like a bout of self-confidence instead. "The ocean is the main thing to worry about, right?"

"Yes. You expect us to _swim_ all the way back? I may have gills, but even I can't swim that far."

"Listen, listen. I think the best way is by ship," Randall stood up from the cold grass to pace around a bit. It often helped him think, and doubled as a lame attempt to keep warm. "Stowing away on an airplane would be faster, but with airport security so tight, we'd be found in no time. On a ship, there's a better chance."

Suzie pondered this idea. "What kind of ship? A cruise?"

"Don't be silly—maybe a freighter is our best option. Something big enough to hide a couple of stowaways."

She seemed keen on the idea. They discussed it in greater detail, all the time coming up with more obstacles. The first step would be finding a shipping port along the coast, which would no doubt be in a city. They resolved to gear up and leave as soon as possible. The Mediterranean Sea couldn't be too far. By the looks of the brochure maps, it was only a few miles south across the Camargue.

"OK, today let's focus on gathering some stuff for the trip," Randall instructed. "Let's head into town now, before people start filling the streets. We'll need more supplies for sure—try to find water bottles, tools, fishing gear, maybe some warmer jackets, and weapons. I'll have to make a new slingshot, but I can do that while we're travelling. Are you ready?"

"Sure. Hang on," Suzie pulled on her disguise, consisting of the sweatshirt and long, dowdy skirt. It worked very well at keeping her identity hidden. "Ready."

She slipped on the only backpack, while Randall carried nothing. He would be using his camouflaging powers to stay hidden, but would be close by the whole time. The two left the grove of trees in a hurry, anxious to start the supply raid before the sun was up.

…

Although Randall was feeling better, he was still was not one hundred percent well. They decided to make the supply raid easy by looting homes on the very edge of town. Randall scouted ahead, invisible, and made sure the coast was clear as they sneaked through backyards. Suzie infiltrated garden sheds and garages, where she found a multitude of tools, and Randall picked open locks on the kitchen windows to break in. After a few houses, he gathered a second backpack and plenty of knives in various sizes; neither monster could find much else in the way of weapons and resolved to build something more deadly at some point.

At the fifth house, they were forced to flee from a bunch of large dogs. The moment Randall set a foot over the windowsill, formidable barking echoed throughout the house. When the beasts ran into view, he retreated and fetched Suzie from the backyard's tool shed. By the time they jumped the fence, the upstairs windows were lit and people were heard yelling in French. The words were muffled, but they guessed the couple was shouting at their dogs to quiet down.

"Man, I hate dogs!" Suzie complained after running some ways from the property. "Always showing up at the worst times. What'd you find so far?"

"Winter coats, hats, and enough knives to go into battle. You?"

"Books of matches," she held up several triumphantly. "And a woodcutter's axe; one house must have an old-fashioned fireplace—oh no, look," she turned back to the houses, many of which were coming alive with the rising sun. A lot of people seemed to be waking up to start their day. "There's no going back there, now."

"Then let's go. We'll grab what's left at camp and head south."

Suzie sighed. What a mess this was. There was no point hanging around—the wilderness was safer and devoid of people. Travelling by day wouldn't be a problem out there. It was still early and the town would be far behind them in no time. The cold wind picked up, making the monsters shiver and walk faster to try and escape it. The crisp air foretold that the next little while would be another trial—perhaps the biggest one yet. Suzie hated the thought of being an entire continent away from the rest of the group…what was going through their minds right now?

"Randall, how long do you think it'll take us to get back? I mean—we still have to find a port, cross the ocean, and even then—"

"Relax, everything will work out fine…" Randall tried to convince himself. "It will be a big trip, no doubt. But all being well, we'll be back in time for Mardi Gras." He considered telling her of the promise he had made to himself; that he wanted to prove he could be someone worth trusting and be a better monster then what he was before. But he decided to keep it to himself. Instead, he said with determination, "I'll make sure we get back; you'll see. We've got a long way to go, so let's get moving."

Suzie bit her lip in worry as they trudged onto the marshy plain. This was going to be quite the journey. "Worst trip ever."

 **And there you have it. After everything the group of outcasts has been through, Randall finally begins to seem them as friends. I tried to make his change in attitude gradual and real, but subtle enough so that his personality isn't altered. The story has sort of been leading up to his turning point, so I hope it sounds legit. Did my best, so I hope it works! Feel free to leave your thoughts and reviews! More chapters to come. We're in the home stretch, now. :)**


	28. Halloween and Birthdays

**Double update with 2 longish chapters. First up, there is a fun part involving Naomi and Becca sneaking out on Halloween, and Randall's attempts at being nice on Suzie's birthday. After that, things get more serious with the lost duo trying to find a way back to the rest of the group. Enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Halloween and Birthdays

Nearly three weeks had gone by since learning of Randall and Suzie's disappearance, and much had changed amongst what was left of the group. The weather had become so unusually cold that it was a cruel reminder of the changing seasons. With this being Louisiana, it wouldn't be so bad, but it still made the monsters wary. Bernard, however, was the happiest he had ever been. Now that his son knew where he was, Nicholas came by to visit every few days. It was never easy, sneaking from a child's bedroom all the way into the heart of the swamps, but somehow, he managed. Nicholas was a lot like his father: soft-spoken, a tough exterior and not too willing to show emotions, but underneath it all he had a heart of gold. He was also skilled with a fishing rod. He was a family man and on one visit, brought along some photos of his wife and four-year-old daughter. Bernard had been truly ecstatic upon seeing them.

Other visitors included Jeffery Fungus and Randall's brother, Samuel. Neither Becca nor Naomi liked Fungus very much, due to the guy's constant stammering and nervous nature. But he had a good heart and was the most frequent visitor out of all their new allies. He kept the outcasts informed about what was happening in the Monster World. So far, little progress had been made regarding the subject of banishment, but many factories were becoming aware of the issue. So many had seen Randall and Suzie that day, and word had spread all throughout Scream Industries. Monsters, Inc. had gotten wind of the incident as well, and so the elaborate plan to lift their banishments was off to a slow start.

Samuel Boggs' visits weren't so much to keep the group connected with the Monster World, but to learn of his brother's fate. Where had Randall been all this time? Where was he before joining the group? Samuel was full of questions, and the group slowly learned more about him. He recently was hired as a company counsellor at Monsters, Inc., and was a divorced father of a small son. They found him to be a bit of a know-it-all, but he was a good deal friendlier that Randall. Perhaps it had something to do with his occupation, but Sam was always a good listener and advice-giver; he showed much concern for the group's well-being.

"I've tried to talk my father into coming out here, but he's either too afraid, or just being stubborn." Sam said one evening. "Personally, I think it's the former. We know anyone would have a tough time out here; sometimes you hear horror stories about banished monsters. They can really sink into the mind, it you hear enough of them."

"Uh huh," Becca nodded. She turned to Fungus, who had also stopped by. "How is Baboso faring with tracking the others down?"

"W—well…" Fungus stammered. "He's narrowed it down to a few dozen doors, all leading to the south of France. They all look pretty similar, but—but not to worry—"

"Quit stuttering and get to the point! Please."

"G—give us a little more time! We're bound to find them any day now!"

"No, you won't," said Sam, plainly. Becca crossed her arms and frowned. Everyone else looked to Sam, waiting to hear his explanation. "I know my brother. He'll have moved on; it's been three weeks already, and he's not a patient sort that'll wait around. I don't know about your sister, but from what you've told us about her, she's probably persuaded him to try and return here."

Bernard saw some sense in this, but had trouble believing it. "That's insane…A journey like that will take months."

No one liked the prospect of waiting in unrest for so long. Especially Becca. Ever since the group reunited with Randall, she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to trust him again, given his past. She got up from her seat on the log to pace around; all she could do was play the waiting game with everyone else.

…

By the time Halloween arrived, both Becca and Naomi had nearly recovered from the pneumonia plaguing them. All thanks to the medicine. They were still quite weak and needed plenty of rest. Since Bernard was so insistent on this, he scolded whenever Becca took too long to return after a hunt, or when Naomi dawdled after an hour of foraging. But today was Halloween! Normally the whole group would head out for the night, but not with two of them recovering from such a long bout of illness.

The girls thought differently. There was no way, no _chance_ at all of hanging around camp tonight! Naomi came up with the idea to sneak off while Bernard was out fishing. Becca was reluctant, but agreed in the end.

They emerged into New Orleans after dark, when sidewalks were alive with trick-or-treaters. In past years, Becca had gone door-to-door with Suzie and Bernard, before the others joined the group. Pretending to be people in costume was always a cherished event, and trick-or-treating was always safe. But the adventure Naomi had in mind wasn't her idea of a fun Halloween.

"This is a stupid idea," Becca protested, having second thoughts. "Bernard will kill us when he finds out. Besides, what if someone asks who we are?"

"Act like we know them; like, say 'Hey, you! Great party, right?' Or just tell the truth and say 'We're party crashers. Can we stay?' Everything'll be fine."

They were in a residential neighborhood, in a wealthier part of town. Around here, the houses were more like mansions, raising several stories high, with vast properties of gardens, guest houses, and enormous gardens. Elaborate fences surrounded them; many lined with jack-o-lanterns and decorated with fake cobwebs. The monsters were strolling (albeit warily) down the sidewalk in search of a good place to infiltrate. It was getting late in the evening, and quite dark out. Families with children and groups of teenagers were all in costumes, going door to door. Becca and Naomi didn't need to worry about being seen and having the crowds descend on them. Halloween was the one and only time they could wander out in public unafraid. This didn't throw Becca off-guard, though. "I'd rather just go trick-or-treating. It's a lot safer. Even I know where to draw the line."

"Nope. Going to a party is just what you need. It's been weeks, and you're still upset about Suzie and Randall missing. One night of fun is just the cheering up you need." Naomi spotted a spookily-lit mansion at the end of the street. "Besides, I haven't been to a party since before I was banished. It'll be nice to get on a dance floor again!"

Becca groaned. There was no point trying to talk her out of this.

A teenaged couple dressed as a blood-streaked vampire and a pirate queen walked close by the two monsters. "Wow! Great costumes!" said the vampire, his teeth oozing with fake blood.

"Thanks! Yours, too!" Naomi responded with annoying high-pitched cheerfulness. When the couple was out of earshot, she turned to Becca. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Let's hope so."

They heard the party before actually seeing it; a high hedge blocked their view, but blaring rock music drifted over top, along with many voices chatting, laughing and letting out the occasional scream and holler. Fake body parts and heads decorated the hedge, which Becca scoffed at. "Pathetic. You should have seen the Halloween parties Fear Co. threw. Now _they_ were something to tremble at."

"It's not too pitiful on the other side," Naomi peered through a gap in the leaves. "C'mon."

The two monsters squeezed through the hedge onto an enormous lawn. Bushes hid them for now, but from here, they saw a great paved patio with a roof of wicker latticework. The whole structure was dripping with gruesome masks, fake insects and spooky green lighting. Realistic ghouls hung about, and pots of black, decaying plants lined the dance floor. The property had a bunch of walkways through the garden and these too were full of surprise scares, most of them the 'jump out at you' kind. Near the mansion were long tables overloaded with food and drinks, complete with a catering staff in full zombie costumes.

"Wow. These people are rich," Naomi whistled, marveling at the size of the house. "Look, they even have a pool! Looks like swamp water, but maybe that's just to match the decorations."

The party guests numbered in the hundreds. Neither of the girls would be conspicuous with so many people here. Everyone wore elaborate, colorful, gruesome, silly, or ingenious costumes: zombies seemed to be the most popular, but there were also historical outfits, witches, superheroes, animals, crews of pirates, evil clowns, princesses, warlocks; two women were dressed as two halves of a cell phone, and one fat man was wearing a pineapple suit. Most of the guests were in their late teens to mid-twenties, giving Becca and Naomi the impression that this gathering was being hosted by a college student.

"My kind of party! Ready to mingle, Becca?"

"No." she crossed her arms stubbornly. "This is a bad idea."

Naomi made a frustrated face and dragged her friend out into the open, anyway. She made a bee-line for the buffet, walking casually as if they belonged here. Several people turned their way, but Naomi smiled and greeted them naturally. "Hey there! Happy Halloween!"

"Right back at 'ya. Great costume." said some random guy covered in fake-blood bandages.

A lot of people were on the patio-turned-dance floor. The music pounded painfully with base, loud enough to shake windows. Becca tried to relax, but it wasn't easy. When a teenage girl in a sorceress outfit spoke to her, she flinched in panic. "Whoa—What are you supposed to be?"

"A—sea monster. What else?" Becca snapped defensively.

"Geez…sorry. I was going to compliment…" the sorceress walked off.

Becca caught up with Naomi at the buffet. The lavender monster was helping herself to a slice of pizza. "Naomi, we're going to get caught! Our 'costumes' are too good to be—"

"We _will_ get caught if you don't relax. Just blend in. Here, have some pizza. Check it out: all the food we want and we don't even have to hunt it down. When will this opportunity come up again? Enjoy it while it lasts."

Becca ate without a word; she _was_ hungry…The real reason she was acting so oddly was because she was shy at large social gatherings. But she was _never_ going to admit that; she had an image to maintain. Mingling with guests was going to be hard. She still didn't trust humans. Although Fungus had explained they weren't toxic, like most of the Monster World still believed, that didn't mean she would let her guard down.

The entire garden was a Halloween extravaganza with games and contests being held all over the place. Some were traditional, like bobbing for apples and contests for 'scariest,' 'silliest,' and 'most creative' costume. Other games were more like dare contests, and there was a dance-off happening on the patio. Naomi entertained herself for a while and participated in the dancing. She didn't win, but pulled a few guys onto the floor to dance with her. Everyone liked the three-eyed monster costume and never suspected a thing. Naomi laughed the whole time; it was great being able to unwind. A chance to be social like this would not happen again for a long time. She was so distracted by the music that Becca considered sneaking away back to the swamp.

"C'mon, Becca," Naomi caught her wandering off. "We're not leaving until you start having fun."

"Not gonna happen. _I don't like parties_."

"Well, how about one of the contests, then?"

That sounded more interesting, Becca admitted. They left the patio, going onto the lawn where a small group of people were gathered. A round table was set in their midst, piled high with mysterious, disgusting food: Bowls of strange concocted soup, deserts with real insects, and towers of brightly-colored chili peppers. Naomi and Becca joined in the game, which seemed to be who could scarf down the most disgusting item.

A teenaged boy dressed as a western bandit was the host. "OK, Mara, you're next. For your dare, you have to eat…this." He picked up a round, reddish pepper about the size of a ping-pong ball.

The kitty-cat girl who stepped forward looked fearful. "What is it?"

"This is the Carolina Reaper, one of the hottest peppers on the planet, clocking in at over one point five million on the Scoville scale. That's over a hundred times hotter than a Jalapeno, for those who don't research these things. Eat it if you dare."

"Uh, no. I'm out." The girl threw up her hands. "Eating the cricket was bad enough." The rest of the group groaned in disappointment.

"Alrighty then, any takers? Who wouldn't want to miss this opportunity?" the boy asked, waving the dangerous pepper around.

Naomi elbowed Becca. "Eat it. I dare you."

"You eat it!"

"I dared you first!"

"Ugh. Fine," Becca took the challenge. She approached the boy and held out her hand. "Give it here. I'll show you kids what it takes." She popped the whole chili into her mouth while the crowd gasped and stared. At first it wasn't so bad; she could handle spicy food. But a few seconds later, the pain started. Her eyes watered, her tongue was on fire; so were the inside of her cheeks, her throat, her nasal passages, as she breathed through the torture. A few of the teenagers applauded when she swallowed a full minute later.

"Alright! We have a winner!" the host announced.

Becca was sure a pepper that spicy would make any human sick to their stomach. But her stomach could handle far worse. She pretended to feel ill when in reality the heat was already dying down. There were plenty of restaurants in Monstropolis that made spicier things than that, now that she thought about it.

"Hey, who were those two, anyway?" Someone asked as Becca and Naomi left the crowd. Both monsters heard this and hurried off to avoid questions.

Becca went over to the apple-bobbing station, finally beginning to take it easy, while Naomi returned to the dance floor. She found a group of young women who were just as shallow and cliquey as her old sorority sisters, and they all ended up chatting away.

Becca's aquatic teeth had some sharpness, so she was a natural at apple-bobbing. There was a contest to see who could get the most in one minute, but she purposefully didn't win so as not to draw attention. After playing, she got an idea on how to get back at Naomi for the hot pepper dare…

A little later, the two monsters met at the table where refreshments were being served. The lavender monster had a drink in her hand and another pizza slice in the other.

"Naomi, are you drinking?"

"It's only root beer. I don't really approve of drinking, anyway."

"Good. I don't want to have to explain something like that to Bernard. Here, I got you this." Becca handed her a caramel apple on a stick. "There's a huge candy station on the other side of the house."

"Thanks!" Naomi took an enormous bite right away. She chewed…then made a wide-eyed face and gagged. Her eyes watered and she spit it out. The apple turned out to be a caramel-covered onion. She glared at Becca, who bit into her own real apple with a snicker.

Naomi's eyes glowered red for a moment. But she took the prank. "Well-played. Not the most creative prank in the world, but not bad. Are you finally having fun, now?"

Becca laughed, a rare occurrence for her. "OK, maybe crashing a party wasn't such a bad idea. I'll try to make the most of it."

She wondered if Suzie would be out trick-or-treating, wherever she was. She wound never miss an opportunity like that. Becca was still fearful for her sister's safety…but at least she wasn't lost all alone out there. Randall was a resourceful monster; he knew how to survive. If he brought her sister back, she wound never say a nasty thing to him again…not unless he deserved it, of course.

…

Randall and Suzie had travelled on foot to the Mediterranean Sea. It was an easy trip, without so much as a glimpse of humans. On the marshes of the Camargue, there were mostly birds and very few large beasts to worry about. Randall had constructed a new slingshot and crossbow along the way. Rocks were the only ammo of choice, but they were effective. Suzie carried the collection of knives and had taken up the sport of throwing them at prey. Her aim improved all the time. In this way, the duo never went hungry, for there were plenty of birds to hunt.

The beaches of the Mediterranean were very beautiful, even in this cold season. The sands were smooth, the sloping cliffs reached up towards the sky, the fields of wild grass and driftwood were all so picturesque. It was very easy to imagine them as a vacation spot during the summer months. Right now, the scenery was chilly and grey from the overcast sky.

On this day, Randall was walking along the base of the cliffs, heading west. He was already wearing one of the winter coats—actually two of them, sewn together to fit all four arms and cover as much of his body as possible. Halloween had come and gone, so now the cold weather was really setting in. _Hopefully there won't be any snow around here_. He wasn't sure what this European climate was like in winter. _Things could be worse. At least we didn't end up in Siberia._

"Randall!" Suzie called, waving something in the air. "Look what I found! I think we're getting close to Spain." She had been wading in the shallow waves, but now ran over towards him. In her hand was a sheet of newspaper, slightly damp from lying on the rocks. The monsters saw that the smeared articles were written in Spanish.

"That's a good sign," said Randall. "The last port didn't give us any luck."

"It was only the first one. I'm sure there are plenty along the coast. Odds are at least one of them has a transatlantic voyage."

They unloaded their gear to break for lunch. It was a large salad of foraged plants with raw crab meat on the side. Suzie's foraging skills really came in handy on this unfamiliar landscape. She had gotten over the stressful predicament of being lost in Europe and had almost returned to her old, cheerful self. She asked Randall thoughtfully, "If we _had_ stayed in the Monster World—you know, taken up on Miss Williams' suggestion to stay?—we could have gone back to a normal life…If you could go back, what would you do? Go back to your old job?"

"Nah. I'd never go through a closet again, not after everything we've been through." Randall answered with full honesty. "I guess I would go for my master's in engineering, maybe. Almost did it, too, before I decided to major in scaring."

"Really? Wow. But with your whole family being the brainiacs they are, I'm not surprised," Suzie giggled. "I'm sure that'll be easy. I mean, if you can build a crossbow out of stuff lying around in the marshes, who knows what else you can create?" She took a few bites of salad before telling of her own wishful plans. "The first thing I would do is get a driver's license and finish high school. In that order."

Randall had forgotten how young she'd been at the time of her exile. Out of everyone in the group, she deserved banishment least of all. "And then?"

"Not sure…I've always wanted to major in literature, or go into journalism. It's what my mom did before she died, and it always sounded like such an interesting career. You never know what stories you'll run into."

Randall chuckled. "No surprises there. With all the books you read—hey, what ever happened to your parents, anyway?"

Suzie's face fell slightly. "My dad had a heart attack when I was little…I don't remember him very well…Becca says he was a lot like Bernard. A couple years later, my mom died on the job. She was investigating one of the run-down buildings in Monstropolis, looking for a good story for the newspaper. But there was an accident, and—" her voice faltered, but she went on. "She and her photographer went straight to the hospital, all because of a stupid falling beam! It was a freak accident! Her concussion was too serious, and she died the next day. I was eight; Becca was eighteen."

"Oh," said Randall. "I'm sorry," He was not really a consoling type, but her put a hand on her shoulder to offer some reassurance. Not sure what else to say, he let her go on.

Suzie kept her composure. "Thanks. I'm sorry it happened, too. That was a horrible time…after that it was just Becca and I. It was a tough day when I learned she was being exiled."

Randall couldn't even imagine. He was beginning to wonder if this form of punishment was just. He could relate to the McKeen sisters a partial level; his own mother had died when he was pretty young. When he told Suzie this, she didn't feel so alone. She gazed out at the rolling waves of the sea, somewhat comforted. To lighten the mood, she said, "Wanna hear a joke?"

He sat up rigidly. "No."

"Too bad, here it is: 'How do you kill a vegetarian vampire?...A steak to the heart.'"

Randall sighed. "That is _stupid_. You're never going to stop with those, are you?"

"No way. We need to laugh at some stupidity! And I'm still trying to get a good laugh from you. Hardy chuckles don't count, you know."

He rolled his eyes. "OK, how 'bout how laugh at this: 'My sister bet me a hundred dollars that I couldn't build a car out of spaghetti. You should have seen the look on her face as I drove pasta.'"

Suzie laughed until she fell off the log. "Nice one!"

They bounced corny jokes off each other for a while. It really did help to lighten the grey mood. When they finished eating lunch, they packed up the gear to go on their way. The only maps they had were tiny local ones from tourist brochures. From what the monsters could tell, there was another town coming up in a few miles. Each kept their fingers crossed that a shipping port was there. Sneaking aboard a warm, sturdy shelter like a cargo ship sounded better then trekking along chilly beaches all winter. It was mid-November already. The monsters weren't sure how long it would take to cross the Atlantic, and what if the ship had to make multiple stops along the way? It was all just a guessing game.

They kept on marching across the sand. They would solve that problem when they came to it.

…

Suzie and Becca were ten years apart, but their birthdays fell within the same week. With all the chaos lately, Randall had nearly forgotten. As he traversed across a rockier stretch of beach with Suzie right behind, he thought about doing something nice for her. She was so distracted by all this travelling that she seemed to have forgotten her birthday entirely.

Far off in the distance shone the lights of a coastal town. The sun had set long ago, leaving the beach a dark landscape of rock, sand and a grey moon. The cliffs were more menacing in this eerie light. The town sloped up onto the hills, moving with the landscape instead of cutting through it. Randall squinted hard; it was difficult to tell if this was a major port town. The place looked pretty small.

"I can only see fishing docks from here," Suzie pointed. "Guess we'll have to keep going a little farther to be sure. Do you think we can stop for a rest, first?"

"Sure." They had been walking all day, anyway. They found a sandy spot at the base of the cliffs, sheltered by the rock. A fire was eventually started using driftwood and a single match—the matchbooks were invaluable and were being rationed to two matches a day. Suzie huddled up to the warmth. With the heat, Randall felt some of his energy returning and longed to stay near the flames, but he saw this as a good opportunity to sneak out for a supply raid. Suzie's birthday was tomorrow, and he was positive she'd forgotten. Surely she would've said something by now…

With a bit of acting, he stood up to explain, "I'm going to head into town for a better map. These ones really are not helping much." He tossed the tourist brochures onto the sand. "It'd be easier if I went alone."

"OK. Just don't take too long. I hate being alone for too long; it's the one thing I'm afraid of."

Randall removed his jackets and shuddered against the onslaught of cold air. "Don't worry; I'll be back in an hour or two."

"Look for more matches, if you can. There aren't many left…hey, what are _you_ afraid of?" she asked out of curiosity.

Randall turned back and pondered for a moment, remembering his first moments in the Human World. He answered reluctantly. "Shovels; and getting hit in the face by them…and maybe Becca, a little." He went off across the beach before Suzie could reply. She was too busy laughing, anyway.

…

The town was a quaint fishing community by the look and smell of it. Randall made it to the docks and saw that many of the buildings were very nice-looking: simple, with tidy trimmings and an abundance of window boxes. In the summer, this place was probably a lovely place to be. Some of the streets were old-fashioned cobblestone; he tripped a couple of times; having four feet on uneven ground was never a good experience.

He didn't let himself be distracted by the sights, and got to work straight away. "OK, let's see…where to start?"

He stayed invisible only when necessary, like crossing the street over towards what appeared to be a small convenience store. The signs on nearby ships had multiple translations, so he wasn't too sure if this town was in France or Spain. Something inside the store might give some answers.

He crept into the alleyway in search of a backdoor. But to his chagrin, there was no sign of a security system. The control pad could be just inside, meaning it would be triggered the moment he broke in. Disabling it would be easy, but there wouldn't be any time before it alerted people. He shrugged. "Oh well. No one's gonna see me, so let them deal with it." This was a solo mission. He never got caught on a solo mission.

He used the only knife brought with him to pick the lock, and opened the door. The siren-like alarm immediately echoed all around, making him cover his ears. Shouts and cries from the apartment above were muffled, while heavy footsteps began running. Randall left the door open and made himself invisible. Instead of high-tailing out of there, he dashed into the store and found an ideal hiding spot up in a corner. The place had a lot of generic supplies: mostly food, but also tourist memorabilia and basic office and hardware supplies _. Jackpot. Maybe there'll be some maps around here._ He thought as he scanned the shelves and coolers _. And maybe something that would make a good birthday present._

The alarm went on blaring until a man and woman clambered into view and punched in a security code on the alarm keypad. They were dressed in pajamas and a nightgown, and whispered nervously to each other in Spanish. The man held a golf club in one hand, peering out through the open door into the alley, expecting the burglar to still be around.

Randall watched from up in the corner. The man shouted out into the night, while his wife looked all through the aisles for signs of a thief. The man yelled out a few more threatening things at the non-existent intruders before nodding in satisfaction. He began resetting the alarm

Randall waited with a sigh of relief. The couple made a quick search through their store just to be sure all was well before going back upstairs. They whispered the entire time; he wasn't at all sure what they were saying, but they seemed sure the 'thief' had been frightened off. _Ha! Wait 'til it's time for me to get out of here; that'll make them jump._ He smiled in amusement as he slithered down from the wall to explore.

The convenience store was a treasure trove of goodies. He found a canvas shopping bag behind the register to pack all he could carry: lighters, matches, a hammer, blankets, canned food, and a couple of dictionary translators. Everything was useful and necessary for surviving the long journey ahead. Full-sized maps he found quickly, and he folded them up with care.

 _Now, what to get for her birthday…_ he had snooped through all the merchandise, but couldn't find anything Suzie would really enjoy. The only books here were cheap paperbacks, not at all classy enough for her taste in literature. He looked inside a refrigerated unit where ready-to-eat foods like sandwiches and salads were. There were some individually wrapped cookies; nothing compared to a cake. A few cookies made for a lousy birthday present, so he considered breaking into another place to keep searching.

When Randall left, the alarm was set off yet again. This time, he had a bit of fun throwing a brick through the store's glass window. The supposed break-in had to look convincing; the owners would notice a lot of their stuff missing, anyway. The monster grinned at his own mischievousness and dashed off with the bad of supplies. He ran about two blocks, through the darkest alleyways to escape the panicked yelling. He saw no point in being invisible right now—the bulging bag give him away—so he camouflaged to a dark cobblestone pattern. "Better than nothing," He stopped to catch his breath and gazed up at the clouded-over moon. He'd hadn't been gone for very long. There was still plenty of time for another break-in.

The stores across the street grabbed his attention. The establishments' signs were in both French and Spanish, but all one had to do was look in the display windows to see what was inside: Amongst the assorted stores were a bakery and a bookshop.

Randall straightened up in astonishment. "Boy, talk about luck! If this weren't a surprise, I should've brought her along. She found have a field day."

Imagining what Suzie the bookworm would say if she saw this massive bookshop, Randall crossed the street in anticipation. This time, he would be more way of any alarms.

…

Suzie was asleep when he returned. It had been a tense supply raid and an arduous shopping trip. He had checked over his shoulder every second. The owners of the bakery lived above their shop as well, and their pet cat had followed him around the entire time. It had been a temperamental feline, hissing whenever he approached a display case. The bookshop had been a safe haven: quiet, without the fear of anyone barging in. He had been able to take his time picking out a birthday present; as a result, he returned to the camp far later than expected.

Randall unloaded the bulging canvas bag of goods and put his mismatched jackets on once again. The fire had gone down, so he threw on a few pieces of driftwood. Suzie's gold speckles shone brightly by firelight; she was definitely sound asleep, sitting in the sand and leaning back against the logs. Randall was actually relived she was asleep. That meant tomorrow's surprises would stay a surprise.

"Going to all this trouble just to give someone a decent birthday. Humph…" he said to himself. "She'd better appreciate this."

…

"You got me a cake?!" Suzie cried out when he presented it at breakfast. "No way! How on earth did you get it?"

"Don't ask." Randall held out the small cake, still in its plastic lid covering. The frosting was rick chocolate fudge with colorful frosting flowers arranged in the center.

"If that's chocolate, my mouth is already watering. I can't remember the last time I had chocolate," Suzie sat down on a rock to admire the treat in her hands. "Let's eat it! Right now."

"What, for breakfast?"

"Sure, why not? When will we ever get cake again? It's a special occasion, and the one day Becca lets me do whatever I want, no questions asked. Oh, but first—" she thrust the cake back into Randall's lower set of arms. "You have to sing 'Happy Birthday.'"

Randall's expression was emotionless and deadpan. "I don't sing."

"Please? Or else I'll make you sing it to Becca in front of everyone when we get back."

He groaned. "Fine." He sang a rushed 'Happy Birthday.' He could carry a tune, but singing was not exactly his forte. But it made Suzie happy.

She clapped when he'd finished. "Thanks, Randall. The day's off to a good start." She pulled a knife from her backpack to dig into the cake.

Thoroughly embarrassed, Randall sat down on the opposite rock. "The things I have to do around here…oh, and I also got you these," He took out the books from their hiding spot. "Happy Birthday. All new, no rips or tears, and not found in a dumpster like the rest of your collection."

Suzie's mouth dropped. She was rendered speechless at such a gift. She took the volumes tenderly, as if they were the most precious things in the universe.

"Most in the shop were Spanish copies, but these were in the English section," Randall explained. "I know you like science-fiction."

"Yeah, it's my favorite. Wow, look at these: 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,' 'Frankenstein,' 'The Island of Dr. Moreau'…I've never read any of these. I've heard of them, though. Apparently they're quite famous." She flipped through the pages. "Look, there are illustrations in this one. Wow…thank you so much!"

Randall was surprised when she jumped to her feet to give him a hug. "The others always get me new things to read, but never anything so nice. Brand new copies are impossible to get ahold of!"

"You're welcome." He said when she let him go. The whole gesture was merely an attempt to make the long journey home more bearable and to keep her spirits high, that sort of thing. It was the first good deed he'd done in—he didn't know how long. It felt kind of nice.

He joined her on the rocks, while she sliced into the chocolate cake. "Dibs on the frosting flowers," she insisted. "How do you think Becca is enjoying her day? The others will never be able to get ahold of anything like a cake."

"Well, knowing her, she's probably just pretending not to enjoy it, when she really is."

"Yeah. Mmm…this is good…real chocolate fudge!...but believe me, under all of Becca's toughness, she's a softy. Way, way deep down. Really."

Randall chuckled and dug into his share of the cake.

He hoped today's travelling would turn out successful. This town had no port, and the next one was several miles away, judging by the new maps. He wished there was an easier way to get back to the swamps, but finding Scarers or Laughers at work was easier said than done. He thought about this a moment _. Of course, everything has to be done the hard way. The minute we find a ship to North America, it'll be smooth sailing; literally…I hope it all goes well._

The duo was in a good mood; they had a map, books, chocolate cake, and a plan. Nothing else could possibly go wrong. They could be sailing away in no time at all.

Little did the monsters know how quickly and suddenly things could spiral out of control.


	29. Teamwork

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Teamwork

Suzie often read while she walked, and the 'Frankenstein' novel was so good that she read it aloud so Randall could hear the tale, too. The novel was very different from the green, bolt-necked movie monster he had heard about. He was surprised at actually enjoying the story more than he expected.

For another few weeks, they kept up the routine of travelling along the coast, raiding and hunting whenever possible. Since there were only two of them, staying hidden was easier. They chose rural routes along the beaches, sometimes on the move through fields, sometimes on the sand itself. Suzie liked the beaches far better; she often jumped into the cold ocean spontaneously to enjoy the surf. She tried persuading Randall to join the fun, but he wasn't about to suffer in freezing water. The nights got colder as the month dragged on. It never went below freezing, but always cold enough so that a campfire had to be lit. The duo decided to keep on the move during the day and investigate any potential ports after dark. It was the only time they could sneak in to investigate the ships.

They passed through multiple towns, and snooped around many docks in search of a trip home. They worked as a team: One would break into offices and look at shipping schedules, while the other kept watch and distracted any people who wandered too close. Tossing a brick or firing a rock with the slingshot usually drove people off. In the offices, the monsters often had to use a dictionary translator, since most paperwork was in Spanish or French. For trickier break-ins, Randall would infiltrate a port alone, leaving Suzie back at camp to wait.

"Anything?" she asked after he came back from yet another unsuccessful trip.

"Nothing. They're all sailing to somewhere else in Europe, or to countries in Asia or Africa."

She groaned in frustration. She rarely complained, but tonight was the last straw. "I can't stand this! This is getting ridiculous! When are we gonna find one? At this rate, I'll have run out of jokes, and read all my new books ten times over."

Randall was confident their luck would change, but even his limited patience was running out.

…

Their persistent search eventually paid off. After traversing far along the coast of Spain, they finally discovered what seemed to be a major shipping port. It was nearly dusk when the city came into view; from a lookout point on the cliffs, they spied enormous freighters, tugboats, loading cranes, and dozens of smaller vessels anchored along the docks. It looked promising.

The two monsters knew the next step: sneak around and figure out what boat was heading where. Because the port was so large, it was vital they stayed cautious. Some of their gear was stored and hidden on the beach to make the search easier. "OK, let's make this fast," said Randall, tucking a few extra knives into his backpack. "It's getting so cold I can hardly move my fingers."

"Same here. Ready to head out?"

"Yeah. Here, you carry a slingshot, too. Just in case."

It was well after midnight by the time they deemed it safe enough to leave. As the edge of the city approached, the tension grew as it always did. This didn't faze them. Both had grown used to the routine. Even Suzie, who used to go into mild panic every time she set foot near a town, was staying calm. The duo didn't talk much. Getting to the docks required stealth. With the work day long gone, not many people were around, thank goodness. There was one close call when the monsters crossed a street; a single car was driving around at this hour for some reason. They took turns keeping a lookout as they darted from hiding spot to hiding spot: alleyways, a mailbox, barrels and crates lined up along the water…it was all deserted, and almost eerie with the sound of the ocean waves. With a dark sky and no moon, it was all rather spooky.

Randall and Suzie broke into the docks' main building. Always the most logical place to go snooping around. "There are a few lights on," Randall observed silhouettes moving in the upper windows. "How 'bout I take upstairs, and you take downstairs?"

"Got it. I'll meet you back here in twenty minutes."

They departed for the individual searches. Randall could more easily avoid detection from anyone on the upper floor. He climbed up a drainpipe while Suzie casually waltzed through the unlocked door down below. _She's getting better at this._ He thought, remembering times when she would literally shake with nerves at the prospect of breaking and entering.

The smell of salt water still lingered in the short hallway. Randall saw a light on, streaming from a room at the other end, and heard a few men talking from within. They spoke in Spanish, letting out a disgruntled yawn from time to time. _Must be pulling an all-nighter with paperwork._ Randall thought as he began looking around the other rooms. He was surprised at being able to understand half of what the men were saying. He supposed it had to do with studying those dictionary translators.

The two voices never moved from the lighted room, so he was free to roam about. He crept to every piece of paper, every clipboard, every bulletin he could find. The computer required a password, but he didn't have the patience or the time to go hacking through it now. The offices were very organized and tidy, which made things easier. Without a flashlight, he had to bring everything over to the starlit windows to read. In the last room, he finally struck gold: He found a shipping manifest for a certain cargo ship that was docked right outside. The name of the rig was an extra-long Spanish name that he couldn't pronounce, but it was due to arrive in Portugal soon, Ireland at the end of the week, then to Iceland, and finally, New York, USA by mid-December.

He blinked a few times and read it again just to be sure he wasn't mistranslating. He had checked everything else worth checking and this was it. This one ship was the quickest trip home! The final stop was in New York, but he didn't care. _That's not exactly close to the swamps…we'll be in the city in time for Christmas._ Right away he started imagining crazy modes of fast-travel from there, from taxi-stealing to subway trains—

A loud shattering of glass came from downstairs. _Well, that's just perfect…_ He straightened up in alarm. _Suzie, what did you do?_

He snatched the ship's multi-paged schedule and peeked out into the hall. The two men had heard it, too. They both began whispering nervously; clearly they didn't expect anyone else to be here this early in the morning. Randall thought fast. He dropped everything, pulled off his jacket, and went invisible. He reached over and slammed their office door shut with as much force as he could muster. The door closing itself freaked the workers out more than expected. The top of the stair's banister was near, so he used a bit of fishing line form his backpack to tie the door shut. _That'll keep them busy. Now, what has that girl done?_ He scurried downstairs to find Suzie. The men were trying to pull the door open in a panic. One of them was already banging on the wood, bellowing incomprehensively. _That line won't hold for long…_

Randall made sure the precious papers were in his hands as he returned to the ground floor Then, out of nowhere, a hard _WACK!_ on the back of his head left him seeing stars. "Hey!" he spun around.

"Sorry! Sorry. I thought you were one of those guys!" Suzie was poised with a coffee pot as a weapon.

"What broke? I heard breaking glass."

"There were notices posted by the coffee maker. I went to read them, and knocked over a mug. An accident, I swear!"

"Never mind that, let's go," he led her back out onto the docks, leaving the workers to figure out the haunted break-in on their own. The monsters ran back to the edge of the shipyard, where the whole adventure had started. Suzie noticed the papers in Randall's hand. "What's that? Our ticket home?"

"As a matter of fact…" He looked out over the shipyard. The one they needed was anchored here somewhere…"There is a rig here that is making a couple of stops along the way, but headed for the mainland soon after. It's the best bit of luck we've had in weeks. Let's take the chance. Hell, we may not get another one."

…

They made a return trip to gather the rest of the weapons and gear from the beach, and came back to the docks as fast as they could. When they returned, the horizon across the sea was beginning to lighten with traces of dawn. According to the papers, the giant freighter would be leaving within a day or so; there was no time to waste. The two monsters found the ship easily. It was an aged, old reliable thing, already fully loaded with shipping containers.

"Oh, no. Look, there are people using the gangplanks already! How do we get inside?" Suzie noticed a few crewmembers at work early.

"I think I can carry us up on the anchor chain; it seems deserted enough up there. Wait here, I'll head up to check." Randall left his backpack with her. He braced himself for the cold water and jumped in—it was just like being encased in liquid ice. Swimming was a challenge when your blood felt frozen. Involuntarily, his scales morphed into an icy blue-white frost pattern. He didn't notice this as he climbed up the side of the ship. His jacket did nothing to keep out the cold. When he hauled his body onto the deck, the first thing he did was find the nearest door to the lower decks. All the stacked containers made for good coverage. There wasn't a soul in sight at the moment, but it wouldn't stay that way. Slowly, the docks were coming alive with workers.

Two more climbs would have to be made. Suzie was the first to come up. She clung to Randall's neck and he helped her climb up the anchor chain. Hauling the gear and weapons was slower, for he had just about had it with the icy water by that point.

"Geez, no more swimming for you," Suzie said when he climbed back up with their supplies. Everything was soaking wet; they would have to be careful not to leave damp tracks. "You really can't handle the cold, Randy. You look like you just walked through a blizzard."

"Huh? Oh," Randall saw the frost pattern and reverted to his original purple, but the icy feeling stayed. If reptilians could shiver, he would be doing so.

The duo made their way to the nearest stairwell. After the long hassle of just getting aboard, dawn had fully arrived, bathing the shipyard in a pale, chilly sunrise. The crew was starting to arrive as well, unfortunately. People called out to one another on the docks, and a few had come aboard the freighter. Going down into the bowels of the ship seemed too risky now. As they went lower and lower down the flights of stairs, voices from below bounced along the walls. Not many, but enough to make them nervous.

Signs were posted on the steel walls in multiple languages, directing them towards places like the ship's galley, restrooms, and engine room. The duo paused at every corner to check the next corridor. It was a real maze in here! Every corridor looked the same. Not all of the florescent lights were lit, giving them a touch of darkness to hide in, but every minute, they expected a sailor to pop into view. With the echoes of distant voices and footsteps, it was hard to tell where anyone was. In one steel-walled corridor, they heard someone coming too close for comfort. These walls echoed tremendously; every sound was amplified against the steel, making the footsteps seem closer than they were. The monsters ducked into an adjacent hallway where several doors lined either side.

Randall squinted at the signs posted around, searching for an escape route. "This way!" he made a beeline for a stairwell entrance.

Suzie was close behind as they headed down a few flights. "This'll get us caught for sure. We can't just keep running around like ants." She made him stop upon reaching a landing. "We've got to get to the cargo hold."

"Where else do you think we're going?" Randall pointed down the stairs. But then, far below, there was a door slamming shut and then a pair of climbing feet. The monsters looked at each other in mild horror. Without a word exchanged between them, she hopped onto his back and he climbed up the wall. Like a gecko, he crawled into a shadowed corner on the landing above. Thankfully, this stairwell was dimly-lit. If they were quiet and still, maybe the approaching crewman wouldn't notice…

The man had a clipboard in his hands, which his eyes were focused on as he climbed the stairs. He wore a dockhands' uniform, maybe re-reading a list of supplies or something. He walked directly under them…Suzie gripped Randall's neck tighter to keep from falling—not realizing she was cutting off his airway—and then a whittled spoon slipped from her backpack. She gasped quietly, loud enough for Randall to hear.

She reached for the spoon as it fell—too late.

He saw it falling in slow motion…he whipped out his tail like lightning and caught in just in time. They stopped breathing until the dockhand had climbed up out of sight and disappeared on another landing.

"That was too close. Next time, don't strangle me, alright?" Randall lowered back onto the landing, massaging his neck. A ventilation duct in the wall caught his eye. It was large enough to crawl through; just. "Here, this might work. Help me get this open."

"Are you crazy? What if we take a wrong turn, fall into a furnace and burn to death?"

"Very optimistic, Suzie. We can use these to explore the whole ship. I'll go first and warn you of any fiery deathtraps." Randall took out a knife to pry at the edges. "Finding the cargo hold will be a cinch, no problem."

Suzie was reluctant, but followed. "OK, but if we end up roasting or freezing, I'm totally blaming you. Becca would never go along with something like this."

"Why, because she thinks I'm the scum of the Earth?"

"No. Because she's a claustrophobic." She pulled the grate back into place behind her.

…

Crawling through the ventilation system was a pain, literally. Before long, their elbows were sore, and their stomachs ached from dragging them along the cold, metal surface. Randall stayed in the lead, always checking for sudden drops or dangers ahead. The vents were large, but still very uncomfortable. Bernard would never have been able to fit inside. The air was dusty and tickled their throats and eyes. It was next to impossible not to cough; a sound like that would surely be heard by the dockhands and crew. Neither monster said much as they crawled through twists and turns within the maze. Randall focused on heading downward. He paused at every duct door they passed. Light shone through the slats, casting stripes of light upon the metal tunnels, and found an extra-large grate in the floor that gave a view of the cargo hold.

"Over here," he whispered, twisting around in the duct and ushering Suzie closer. Being smaller, she was having an easier time cramped up in these tunnels. He pointed down through the slats at the scene below. "Our new hideout."

"Wow. Looks big enough," Suzie tried to see from this angle.

They couldn't tell just how big this part of the ship was. Natural, early morning sunlight was streaming into the hold, meaning a loading door was open somewhere. Crates, pallets, boxes, and storage containers were being loaded last-minute; dockhands and shipyard workers marched about, hard at work directing the cargo and barking orders to one another.

"Do you think it'll be safe enough? What if someone comes down here while we're sailing?" Suzie wondered aloud.

"Nothing can be done about that. We'll just have to keep watch and run and hide if we have to."

They would wait until the room below was devoid of people. Both were getting tired of all this sneaking around; it would be great to find a place to settle down and get some rest.

…

There was so much cargo that the monsters came close to falling asleep while waiting for it all to be loaded. Randall's impatience got the better of him and he nearly broke through the vent before all the workers had vacated. Suzie held him back, though. She was also anxious to stretch out after being stuck in the vents for so long, but it was smarter to wait. When they were finally able to climb down, the massive bay doors were clamped shut, with faint echoes of water hitting the side of the ship from outside. A few lights were still lit in the room, so it wasn't exactly dark, only very dim. The place was a massive, daunting room as big as a football stadium. Walls of crates rose up high, some almost to the ceiling, and formed a confusing network. It was perfect for hiding in.

Randall and Suzie climbed down from the ducts via a tall tower of crates. With all the boxes, Suzie saw a bounty ripe for the picking. "It looks like this rig is full of useful stuff; read the labels on the crates," Most of the labels were written in multiple languages, reading things like clothes, fabrics, furniture, appliances, tools, and small machinery. This ship seemed to be carrying general cargo, and nothing too dangerous. "See anything that says food, Randall?"

"We have our rations for now. They got a little wet while we scaled the side of the ship, but they'll do. Hurry up and get down here! Let's explore; see what else we can find."

Every crate was tied down securely to prevent sliding around the deck. The ropes alone would come in handy for snare traps for hunting. The monsters wandered around to make note of any doors leading to higher decks, and searched for any useful supplies. There didn't seem to be any food down here, unfortunately.

They found a secluded spot amongst the walls of cargo that was perfect for setting up a small camp of sorts. High towers rose on either side of them, leaving two escape routes should they need to run. The weapons, backpacks, and other gear were unloaded and the duo collapsed against the crates for a much-needed break. They spread out their coats and blankets so as not to sit on the cold, steel floor. (Everything was still damp from the dip in the ocean, but they would dry soon enough.) Suzie pulled out some bottles of drinking water and tossed one to Randall. "Well, getting here was quite the trip, but it was worth it. This has got to be the coolest hideout ever! How long do you think we'll be holed up in here?"

"No idea. This freight is making a few stops before heading across the Atlantic, and I don't know how long it'll stay docked at the ports. My guess is we'll be living onboard for a few weeks, at least."

Suzie grimaced. "Ugh…weeks of living with rats…"

"Rats?"

"Yeah. They were crawling around on the docks and I wouldn't be surprised if they're stowing away, too."

Randall shrugged. "Oh well. More food for us if they did."

…

A day later, the ship had set sail and was due to arrive in Portugal to make a few deliveries and pick-ups. Suzie awoke that morning with a mix of excitement and remorse. Randall had been keep watch; he climbed down the tower of crates which served as his lookout post and back into the mini-camp. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, really…today is the day Becca and I were banished. It's been three years, now…not exactly the kind of anniversary to feel good about. Naomi's is coming up soon, too. She'll have been out here one year."

The purple lizard got comfortable on top of a crate—the steel floor was way too cold for his liking. He understood Suzie's mood. "What happened on your first few days? The first ones have got to be the worst. I know mine were."

"You got that right. Northern Canada in winter; that means frostbite, icy winds, snow…" she shivered at the mere memory. "It was days before we found food and a miracle we didn't lose any toes to frostbite. Becca was so distraught that she was in tears for days."

Randall's eyes went wide. It was hard picturing no-nonsense Becca in tears. Suzie asked about his own first days of banishment, and he answered, embarrassed. "Well, my co-workers tossed me through a kid's closet, so of course the people attacked me on sight. They thought I was a mutated alligator and beat me with a shovel."

Suzie stifled a laugh.

"It really _wasn't_ funny at the time! That's how I got this scar," He pointed to a long mark on the side of his head. "I escaped through a window and from there on out, it was just survival of the fittest. It was spring, so the place was manageable, I guess." A sudden jolt from the ocean knocked him off the crates. He wacked his shoulder against the box's corner as he fell. "Ow!...I hate boats. I'll be happy when this trip is over."

"Really? This is kinda fun, getting knocked around by the waves!"

"Oh, hooray for you," he rolled his eyes. "I'm starving; this rationing won't keep us alive for long," he divided up the meager breakfast portions, consisting of one handful of dried, foraged plants and a wild potato each. Lately, the duo had taken to raiding people's gardens in search of food. They didn't have a whole lot with them; perhaps enough to last another day or two.

"How 'bout we search the other side of the cargo hold?" Suzie suggested. "We haven't checked there, yet."

"Good idea. Our chore for the day. How's the water supply?"

"Low," She lined up all the water bottles—only three were full. She needed a regular water supply to keep her semi-aquatic scales from drying up; it was crucial the duo do something about the dwindling water, and fast. They discussed it and Randall decided to sneak up to the crew decks. Maybe he could fill the bottles at a faucet, somewhere.

"Let's do more exploring today, too. This ship is huge, and the crew really isn't that big. If we have to be stuck here, it's wise to find all the resources we can." Suzie crunched on her wild potato.

"Only if we're careful. This isn't some cruise line, you know. The crew may come down here from time to time."

"Yeah…I hope we reach New York in time for Christmas. That'll be cool. I've never been in a big city around the holidays. It should be fun, seeing all the sights and decorations."

Randall admitted, that did sound nice. New York around Christmastime was definitely a spectacle, from what he had heard. "Don't get your hopes up. It's a busy place, so we'll need to get out of there fast. Sightseeing will have to be put on hold."

Suzie sulked, but knew he was right. Still, there was always hope. They went on eating breakfast slowly to make the rations last. She allowed her mind to wander.

Thinking ahead to the holidays, it was very likely she wouldn't be with her sister this year—a very disturbing reality. Bernard and Naomi were probably worrying about them, too, not knowing where she and Randall were. She was very glad to have Randall around; she had really taken a liking to him over the last few weeks; he was a huge help to have around. His attitude and improved dramatically lately; he seemed to genuinely care more and she had never been more grateful he had returned to the Human World. He had had the chance to stay in Monstropolis, yet he came back…She wouldn't have known what to do, had she ended up in France all by herself. He was helping her with her hunting skills; with just a little more practice, she'd be able to bring down more food for the group. They were watching each other's back, and working together on supply raids more often. He was doing a wonderful job at keeping them both safe on this long journey.

Suzie wasn't sure, but she wondered if she was falling for him…just a little bit. It was a deeply personal thing she had decided to keep quiet and dismiss. It was obvious Randall didn't reciprocate. Besides, the age difference between them was ten years, far too big in her mind. There really was no point to it. _It's not the end of the world…_ She thought to herself. She knew that no matter what happened in the future, she had gained a friend for life.

 **So the friendship theme is now good and strong. So happy and proud with how this story turned out. The next few chapters are super-dramatic and contain a few twists and turns, so they will be posted quickly. See you then! :)**


	30. Stormy Seas

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Stormy Seas

Much of the Monster World was becoming aware of the band of outcasts, thanks to Nicholas Brennan, Jeffery Fungus, Samuel Boggs, and Baboso Goretega. The new allies kept the outcasts well-informed on how the issues were being handled. Many monsters were protesting against the law of banishment, and argued strongly with those who approved of it. Many scream and laugh production factories had neutral opinions on the matter; after all, they were the ones who actually did the banishing. But some places were beginning to have their eyes opened.

"Everything is changing," Samuel said one evening when he and Fungus came by. "The trials are being held for Chester Duffy. Just think about it—if he _hadn't_ sent Suzie and Randall out to God-knows-where, none of this would be happening. His plan to get rid of the 'riff-raff' seems to have backfired. It's very exciting!" Sam explained all the important events in greater detail. Fungus cut in from time to time, but was nervous and constantly checking over his shoulder; the middle of a wild, gator-infested swamp was not his favorite place to be.

Bernard, Naomi and Becca had moved camp to a more sheltered area of the swamp. It was only a hundred feet from the old one, but had more trees around, dryer and higher ground, and was far enough away from the river. The alligators were not as active as they were in summer, but better safe than sorry.

Becca was chewing away at a raw fish. With her mouth full, she asked Fungus and Sam. "Get to the point. Does that mean this whole fiasco will end in 'all banishments lifted,' or not?"

"Quite possibly…it's still too early to tell," Fungus started. "Monsters, Inc. feels the most strongly about it. No surprise since Randall is well-known there. You should've seen the looks on some of their faces when they learned where he disappeared to."

"What about my old place? Fear Co.?"

"W-well, uh—not as much."

"Humph. No surprise there. I had hoped I'd made a lasting impression! Guess everyone was too scared of me."

"What was your job there?" asked Sam.

"As Chief Scare Coach, I brushed up the workers' skills, offered tips, tricks, and training, that sort of thing. I was also in charge of interviewing any new guys who applied, and ran simulator tests on everyone, just to make sure no one got rusty." She held her head high, very proud of her work. "I'm shocked no one cares I'm out here! I had friends—or so I thought. Fear Co. will have a hell of a time finding someone more competent then me!"

"Actually," Sam cut in. "Fear Co. _does_ remember you, but they're more curious than anything else. That's why we came out here tonight—some of the CEOs have asked if you all want to be interviewed."

Fungus nodded in earnest.

Bernard was wary and confused. "Interviewed? You mean a reporter is going to come out here? I don't know…I don't want to be endangering anyone else. Having you two and Nick come out here every couple of days is risky enough."

"Well, Nick thinks it'll be a good way to shed some light on the disputes. Most monsters have no idea what it's like to be living out here, and it may help the CDA make up their mind on what to do next."

Naomi perked up. She had been keeping warm, huddled in a coat by the fire, but raised her head in excitement. "I'm in! Bring on the reporter! We'll be famous by the time we can come home!...well, _if_ we come home."

"Don't get excited, Princess. There's still the matter of 'missing monsters' to fix!" Becca turned to Fungus, knowing he was working with Baboso at finding the rest of the gang. "What about Randall and Suzie? Have you come any closer to finding them yet?"

"N—no. Sorry, Miss McKeen, but—it's next to impossible to locate someone who's on the move!" Fungus was wary of the tough aquatic woman; with her temper, she always scared him silly. "We found the door Chester switched out with the one they were _supposed_ to be sent through. It—it leads to this big, marshy place in France, but there's—uh…" he stuttered and ran out of words when Becca continued giving him a death glare.

Sam spoke up instead, quite calmly. "We're sorry. There's no trace of them, Miss McKeen. My guess is they are on their way. It's been weeks, already. That's a pretty good head start."

"Well, keep trying. Maybe you can—I dunno…catch them while they're travelling, or something. The sooner you track them down, the sooner they'll be back! What if they _aren't_ on the way and just living in Europe, somewhere?"

"No. They're on the way, trust me. Randy is a problem solver, always has been, and this counts as a _huge_ problem. Plus, I'm sure your sister will try and return here. She might have convinced him to try, even if he didn't want to head out travelling in the first place. Just be patient."

Becca grumbled and rested her head in her hands. Bernard came over and put a comforting arm around her as if she were his own daughter. Still upset by the dilemma, Becca relaxed and pulled herself together before any tears could form.

Fungus brought up the subject again. "So, are you all still interested in the interviews?"

Becca sighed. "Sure. Why not? Goodness knows it'll make things more interesting around here."

Naomi clapped her hands with glee. "What about you, Bernard?"

"Well…alright. Only if you're sure you can bring the reporter here safely. And only one, not a whole team. And no cameras; I'm reluctant to have my face known throughout the whole world."

"No worries. We'll make sure everything goes smoothly," said Sam. "By the way, Baboso says 'hello,' and next time, I might be bringing my father along. Finally convinced him to put aside his fear and come out here. I don't understand what his problem is, though," he gazed around the moonlit clearing. The early winter air gave everything a silvery sheen, and sounds of insects echoed throughout the swamp. The river was out of sight, but the monsters could still hear it—the occasional splash of something jumping in the water gave it away. The campfire gave off a golden glow that covered everything. The scene was very peaceful and pleasant. "This place isn't all that bad…if only it wasn't so cold!"

He and Fungus decided to head back. Their visits were now known about, and they had been using a child's closet door at Monsters, Inc., with approval from the CEO. Now they didn't have to worry about getting into trouble. As they got up, Naomi jumped to her feet to stop them. "Wait! Could you give this to my mother for me? I wrote this for her…" she held up a folded letter, written on some scrap paper that had been thrown away in a dumpster. "The address is on the top. Her name is Miranda, and if she's willing, ask her to come out here. Nicholas comes here so often, and if he's allowed, I'm sure my mother will be, too."

Sam nodded. "Of course," He went rigid with a sudden thought. "Geez, I hope Rex doesn't figure out where I keep running off too. He's too smart for his own good—won't be long until he starts begging to visit you all."

"You've never told us about your son. What's he like?" Bernard asked.

"Let's see: Hyper, trouble-making, accident-prone, sneaky and four. That about sums it up," Sam joked. "His mother left us years ago; said I was too much of a work-a-holic and Rex is too much of a handful. Which is kind of true."

"Oh, that's too bad," Naomi said consolingly. "Think he'll try to sneak out here?"

"Probably—Whoa, calm down!" Sam put up his hands at once, upon seeing everyone's shocked expressions. "I'm not letting my four-year-old into the Human World. That's just asking for trouble!"

…

When the engines first roared up, it was a subtle hum pulsing throughout the ship. The vibrations could be felt through the steel floor. Randall and Suzie had made their camp amongst the walls of crates: no campfire, just a few mattresses of coats and old blankets with the backpacks and gear spread out. They had been half-asleep, completely worn out from the trip it took to get here, not even bothering to keep watch at first. The engines woke them up with a start.

"Alright, we're outta here, finally!" Suzie yawned. "What are the stops this ship is making again, Randall?"

He pulled out the stolen schedule to check. "Portugal, Ireland, Iceland, and then New York."

"And then what? It won't be easy getting through a city like that. I've heard a saying that it's a 'city that never sleeps,' which doesn't sound like it would be in our favor."

He shrugged. "No, it won't be…let's just get there, first. We'll figure it out once we land; solve one problem at a time."

The lights in the cargo hold were few and very dim. There were no portals to look through; a single small clock on the wall was the only way to tell what time of day it was. It was late morning, meaning the ship was right on schedule. Moving around the upper decks would be tricky, but not impossible. They had to get up there anyway for food and water at some point. Their water supply was dwindled and it would be a good idea to find the galley for when the rations were used up. Food and water were really the only things to worry about for the next little while. It was crucial everything went well. Neither of them wanted to think about what would happen if they were discovered.

Over the next several days, Randall frequently searched the ventilation ducts for entrances to other parts of the ship. With Suzie's atrocious sense of direction, she never went on her own. Instead, she tagged along with him, or else remained behind in the camp to make sure no crewman found their stuff. With the routine set, the two monsters were able to explore. It kept the days interesting. Otherwise, they would be trapped in the cargo hold indefinitely.

…

The ship reached Portugal quickly, and remained docked there for a whole day. The duo had packed up the camp and hidden in the ventilation ducts to wait while cargo was loaded and unloaded. The same thing happened a few days later in Ireland, only this time, the ship was docked for much longer. So much was unloaded here that it seemed like an entirely new shipment of goods. During this long waiting period, Randall and Suzie broke into the crew quarters instead of waiting, cramped like sardines, in the metal tunnels the entire time.

It was an idea not without its risks. The particular cabin they found was one of the spare quarters, complete with bunks, and an adjoining bathroom. The monsters left the vent open, in case they needed a quick getaway. Neither was too worried, though. With the crew so busy with the cargo, it seemed unlikely anyone would come into an abandoned spare cabin.

Suzie was thrilled to have the privilege of sleeping in a real bed instead of hard ground. She made a beeline for the top bunk. "Ahh…you forget what a luxury it is, after so long. I miss my old room…"

Randall snickered in a teasing sort of way. "Don't get comfy. This is only temporary, remember? At the rate the crew is working, it could be days until they're finished. Enjoy it while it lasts." He opened the cabin door a crack to peer into the hall. He read a few signs on the walls that pointed to nearby locations. "Huh, look at that. The galley is just a few corridors away. This'll be a good hideout until we set sail again."

"Great! I can finally have a few nights' rest. I hate sleeping on steel. It's pure torture compared to nice, soft grass."

For the rest of the loading days, the duo was on edge, but also enjoyed being out of the hold. Simple things like having real beds to sleep in, easy access to food, and being able to use a real bathroom were things most monsters would take for granted. And for the first time in a long time, Randall and Suzie saw their reflections in a mirror: dirty, tanned, tired, and in Randall's case, scarred. The now-healed gunshot wound had left horrible scars on his side; the mirror was his first time seeing it properly. The duo had been through a lot ever since going through the wrong door.

"Do you think Jeffery, Nick and Baboso found them?" Suzie asked. She hadn't a clue if Naomi and Becca were still ill with pneumonia, or if Bernard was coming down with it, too.

Randall kept quiet for a moment. What was he supposed to say? He himself was also worried but refused to show it. The group was becoming as close as family to him—even Becca, as much as he hated to admit. But their allies seemed like, good, honest ones. Fungus had no backbone, but always did what he was told, and Nicholas Brennen was sure to go out looking for Bernard. Baboso seemed very curious about the band of survivors, and eager to help…thinking about these facts, Randall had no doubt in his mind any of them would go back on their word. "Yes. I think they did." He told Suzie with full-fledged honesty.

Suzie felt more reassured after that.

…

When it was time to leave Ireland, it was so early in the morning that the sun was barely up. The ship was once again fully loaded and on its way. Randall and Suzie took this as their cue to head back to the safe cargo hold, but Randall decided to take a detour up to the ship's outside deck. He was sure it would be alright; with so many shipping containers up there, there shouldn't be any trouble staying hidden. Besides, he was longing for a bit of fresh air.

They came up through the vents into a room full of lifejackets and emergency rescue supplies. From here, they could just head through a door into the open air. Walls of stacked metal shipping containers surrounded the area, and no voices could be heard anywhere. They let down their guard to enjoy a few precious minutes of freedom.

Randall breathed in the salty sea air deeply, very content. Suzie rushed over to the railing to watch the waves far below. "Wow, look at the coast from here!" She pointed out to Ireland's beaches and tall, green cliffs. It was still kind of dark out, but with the sun peeking just over the horizon, the cliffs were highlighted pristinely with golden light. The coastal port town had been left behind. Only wilderness could be seen now. With the cliffs, hills, and open sky, it was like looking at a postcard.

"Boy, if only the others could see this," Suzie remarked. She leaned on the railing, gazing at the landscape with a wistful, dreamy look. "It's beautiful, isn't it? And I bet if Bernard had a fishing boat as big as this rig, he'd never step foot on dry land again."

The wind suddenly picked up, and she leaned into it, letting the breeze hold her. "C'mon, Randall, it's fun! I won't' go back into storage until you try it." She half-yelled over the wind.

"I really don't want—" but she pulled him into the airstream, anyway. It actually _was_ kind of fun, being held only by a strong wind. Against his will, he let out a laugh.

Suzie stated, "Hey, that's got to be the first laugh I've ever heard from you."

"Well, don't go bragging about it to the others when we get back. It was just a reflex."

"Sure, sure…" Suzie rolled her eyes. She went back to the railing to watch the pink and gold sunrise. "I'm glad this trip is almost at the halfway point. It's taking forever to get in and out of these ports."

Randall agreed. "I don't know much about Iceland; I just pray it doesn't live up to its name. It's cold enough out here without being in the tundra." He shivered under his jackets. "C'mon. Let's fill up the water bottles before heading back to cargo. We've already been up here too long."

Suzie sulked, disappointed, but came up with a joke to lighten the mood. "Got a joke of the day—don't make that face! It's a good one, just listen: 'A guy walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm. He says to the bartender, 'I'll take one beer and one for the road!'"

"Ugh…dumb, as usual. Are you remembering all of these or just making them up?" He sighed. He was used to the daily jokes by now, but that didn't mean their corniness was any less.

…

Shortly after hitting the open sea, the weather got more unpredictable. Winds were stronger, as well as the waves. Even from the ships belly, the duo had a feeling the rest of the voyage would be rough. Suzie thought it was grand fun at times, getting knocked around, up and down, back and forth, in the bumpy weather. Randall on the other hand, was getting sick of it—literally. On particularly bad days, all he could do was lie down and wait for the nausea to pass.

On calm days, though, the monsters were often bored. To pass time, they read aloud from Suzie's books, or played games like charades. Somehow Randall got roped into a game of hide-and-seek; the hold was absolutely enormous; such a game would pass the time, for sure, so he finally agreed after much encouragement. "OK. But I should warn you, I was the best hider whenever I played this game with my brother."

"Ha! I think I know why. I've always wondered: does your disappearing trick run in the family?"

"Yes, on my father's side. Been in the family for ages; it's usually males who get it, though. Sam and I both inherited it, and so did my nephew."

"Well, none of that today, please. Or else it would be called cheating; this has to be a fair game."

Playing the biggest round of hide-and-seek ever raised a bit of relaxation for the monsters. Suzie, with her bad sense of direction, often got turned around in the valley of cargo, but somehow she managed.

On another stormy day, late in the afternoon, the water and food supply was low again. Randall was very familiar with the ventilation paths by now and took the water bottles up to the nearest room with a faucet to be filled. It was a daily chore that was often treacherous; the sound of a tap turned on could alert any passing crewman. Also, the sight of water bottles floating around was not one Randall wished anyone to see. If he or Suzie were discovered, there was no telling what would happen, especially out here in the open sea. Would they be locked up? Thrown overboard? Questioned or killed? Neither monster spoke of such things, but each thought of them often.

"Here you go: four full bottles." Randall returned with a fresh water supply. A water bottle was held in each of his hands. "You know, we wouldn't have to fill them so often if you didn't keep dumping one over your head every day."

"Sorry. I've got to, or else my scales dry up like sandpaper," Suzie splashed a little bit on her blue, gold-speckled limbs. "Be glad you're not aquatic and have to do the same! Then there'll be no water at all…I can head up to find some grub in a minute."

"Are you sure you can find your way back this time?" Randall smirked, crossing all his arms.

"Sure! Well… _mostly_ sure…"

They argued on who should go, until deciding on Randall. "It's nearly dinnertime. The crew will be crowding the galley soon, and I can get there before them."

"Good point. I wanted to look around the last of those new crates, anyway. Oh! Be sure to check to see if they're serving those roasted potatoes again. Bring back as many as you can carry!"

"I'll see what I can find," Randall took his backpack and climbed up to the vent in the ceiling. He called over his shoulder. "Be careful. And don't get lost!"

"I won't. You be safe, too." Suzie gathered her own pack and headed deeper into the cargo hold. She heard a slight ' _clang_ ' as Randall shut the vent and the tapping of his feet as he scuttled away through the tunnels. Hopefully he would find something delicious. Until he returned, she had the whole hold to herself.

While in Ireland, the ship had picked up so much new cargo that there were still a lot of crates she hadn't looked at. Her idea was to go hunting for gifts for the holidays coming up. "There's gotta be something…Becca had her birthday, and I didn't even get to celebrate with her!" She abandoned the camp and set off to look around. There must be something around here that her sister would like.

With the stormy ocean, Suzie felt the ups and downs strongly, and even heard rain hitting the sides of the ship. As she strolled through the maze of crates, a huge lurch pushed the floor sideways, knocking her off her feet. At the same time, a crate from atop a high tower came loose and crashed down from its perch. Suzie yelped and covered her head as splinters flew her way. "Geez—learn how to tie knots, people! Nothing will be worse than death by splinters."

She composed herself and investigated the spilled contents—nothing too special; just a bunch of sweaters. She took some of the thickest ones. "If we're heading towards a place called _Iceland_ , who knows how cold it will be?" She paused, trying to remember her geography lessons. "Or is it Greenland that gets all the snow?"

The boat gave a sickening heave and she fell over again. Wherever Randall was in the vents, she hoped he wasn't feeling sick to his stomach. The waves were very unruly today.

She continued the task of hunting for supplies and gifts. Many crates were tied and stacked in towers or pyramids, so she climbed as if the maze were a jungle gym. She read labels and pried open what she thought would make a useful or interesting find. A lot of crates contained winter clothes. There were also kitchen wares and outdoor things like hiking boots, snowshoes, and shovels. Suzie suspected some of these things were destined for Iceland. She didn't know much about the country, save for it was very unpopulated, and near the Arctic Circle.

"Jackpot," she exclaimed upon finding a whole box of thermal socks. These could be used for both socks and mittens, so she snatched up a dozen pairs.

Suzie failed to realize how high she was climbing. From this perch, the entire layout of the cargo hold could be seen, but she was too enticed by the bounty to notice.

There were so many boxes to search through; one was supposed to have hardcover novels inside, but she had yet to open it. She opened another to find a bunch of jigsaw puzzles and other toys. Immediately she dug out a 3D cube puzzle that formed a spherical globe. It would make a good gift for Randall, so she tucked it into a side pouch on her backpack to save for Christmas.

The venture had taken her high atop the tower of crates.

She went on reading labels to learn what was inside. One was full to the brim with even more toys—this time simple musical instruments like recorders and pennywhistles. Bernard liked music, so she took one of each. Humming wordless melodies, she was very happy. At this rate, she would have gifts for the whole group. Plus a little something for herself once she got around to that crate of novels.

High up on the tower, over twenty-five feet off the ground, was when it happened.

She was closing up the lid when she lost her balance. A huge roll from the waves made the ship creek. The suddenness wasn't what Suzie had anticipated. A hollow feeling rose up inside her as she felt herself falling backward. Her grip slipped. She flailed her arms to grab ahold of something—a rope, anything!...But the storm was too forceful. Gravity took over and extreme fear rose up in an instant.

"Randall!" she cried out. But he was nowhere near. The moment was frightening enough…being alone made it all the more bone-chilling.

The last thing Suzie heard was a heavy 'THUD' as her head hit the hard, steel floor.

 **Cliffhanger!**


	31. Trauma

Chapter Thirty: Trauma

Over an hour passed before Randall found her.

He returned to the hideout spot with plenty of food from the galley, including the requested roast potatoes, still warm. Thinking she was merely lost somewhere in the cargo hold, he called out and wandered around through the maze of crates. When she didn't answer, a twinge of worry crept up. Only then did he realize something was wrong. Something had happened…he could feel it. At first, he pictured a crewman discovering the camp and kidnapping Suzie, holding her prisoner in some other part of the ship. Such a scenario was possible, and Randall searched all the more frantically.

When he found Suzie, the sight of her lying there made his blood freeze. He went as still as a statue. His brain didn't quite register what he was seeing.

She lay partly on her side, limbs and tail splayed out, with one arm bent at a weird angle. There was strange facial bruising beginning to form, which he didn't understand. The contents of her backpack had spilled out—random finds like puzzles, socks, and toys, all things from her solo raid of the crates. She wasn't moving a muscle.

Randall recovered from his immobility and ran over to her unconscious form. The fear welling up inside him was like a cold, hollow pit. A sudden lurch from the stormy waves made him loose balance and fall over. This choppy weather was doing nothing to help.

"Suzie…?" He brushed aside her fin-tipped feelers to see her face more clearly. Her eyes were shut, and she didn't respond. "Oh, no…what happened to you?" It wasn't hard to deduce what had happened. A mere glance up at the askew crate solved the mystery. Randall shuddered; that was over a twenty-five foot fall. From the way she was lying, he worried she had hit headfirst. He felt for a heartbeat—it was there, but weak and slow. He let out his breath, which he didn't realize he had been holding. A pulse…"OK, that's a good sign…Suzie, can you hear me?" His own pulse quickened with worry.

He looked around the room, as if expecting Bernard, Becca, or Naomi to show up. But of course he was on his own. _What do I do?...No! None of that panicking stuff, Randall! Stay calm and_ think.

Her left arm had an obvious break just below the elbow; it was visibly bent out of shape. Randall checked her other limbs for more breaks, and found none, thank goodness. He let out another breath of relief. What worried him most was her head. If she had struck this cold steel floor headfirst from such a big fall…he was hesitant to examine it, afraid of what might be found. He felt her neck to see if it was still in one piece; it was. He was being extremely careful. If anything else was broken, the slightest movement could lead to disaster. "No broken neck…OK, that's good, too," He thought aloud. "Please just be knocked out. No concussions, please…"

A quick flashback to when Bernard fell off the cliff in Yellowstone Park came to mind. Bernard's tumble had been a forty foot-plus slide down a rocky slope. Not only had he gotten a permanent limp from his broken leg, he couldn't even remember the accident. Thankfully, his leg had taken most of the damage.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case here. Suzie's head had taken the full force of the fall. Randall didn't have to examine it long to find the damage. "Oh God…no, no, no, this isn't happening. Suzie, you'd better wake up right now…" He felt a huge depressed fracture on the back of her skull. Just by touching it, he could tell it was serious. The break looked like an indentation on her speckled, royal-blue skin—a fist-sized dent, caved in toward her brain. Randall was finding it hard to stay calm.

Armed with only basic first aid skills, he didn't know what to do for a broken skull. Moving Suzie around was probably the worst thing to do, but he didn't want to just leave her lying on the floor. He decided to keep her still for now. He made several trips to move everything from camp over to where she lay. He ran the entire time, trying to think of how to fix this. _Of course, the worst injury the group has ever faced had to be_ here _, on board a ship in the middle of the North Sea!_

When all the gear had been relocated, he pushed a few crates around so as to make a protective wall. Unless someone climbed over or moved them, no one would find the new camp. Satisfied with the barrier and thinking rationally, Randall checked on Suzie again. She still hadn't moved an inch.

"I wish the others were here." He had no clue what to do next.

…

Never had he felt as alone as this. Stuck on a ship, with no suitable medical supplies and no one to help…Randall headed up to the ship's first aid room to look for anything that may offer clues on what to do. But none of the books gave much information about head trauma. What he could find recommended taking head injury victims to a doctor or hospital as soon as possible.

"Yeah, like I'm going to find one out here," Randall read everything worth reading. He had switched on all the florescent lights in the room; if any crewman saw them through the crack under the door, Randall would most certainly be discovered. The risk was worth it.

Frustrated, he threw the last book into a corner and snapped at it, "You're no help at all! What am I supposed to do?!" He took some heavy-duty bandages and a wooden splint. He was going to set Suzie's arm back in place, at least.

…

As he crawled back down through the vents, thoughts of Becca drifted around in his head. He had promised to keep Suzie safe; Becca had _trusted_ him with the care of her sister! Even after he had lied to the group, they had given him a chance to redeem himself. If anything happened to her, he couldn't imagine what Becca would say. How she would react, or if she would ever put her faith in him again. Randall had vowed to change; his resolution had been off to a good start upon deciding to make this long journey back to Louisiana. Now everything was different.

Randall returned to find Suzie still breathing, and her pulse still faint. With as much care as possible, he cushioned her head with a blanket, making sure her head stayed in roughly the same position.

He talked to himself to try and calm down. "Alright, just relax, Randy. Everything will be fine…we've gotten through worse dilemmas then this, right?...yeah, right." He took back his own words.

A sudden thought occurred. What about internal injuries, like brain damage, or bleeding? Now even more disturbed, Randall spoke aloud to her. "Suzie, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to set your arm, OK? You hit your head pretty hard…just hang in there."

When her arm was set and tied in the splint, he waited. That was all he could do. He ended up lifting her onto a mattress of blankets and a coat, making sure her head was well-cushioned. He stayed up all night, waiting for her to wake up. The few rats that were also stowing away, he shooed off. (One of them actually became a midnight snack.) He paced frantically, talked to her, but nothing coaxed her out of the coma. It was a terrible time.

From what Randall could gather, a depressed skull fracture could put pressure on the brain, resulting in further damage if not treated. But all the first aid books he could find were written for _humans_ , not monsters. Some monsters had sturdier skeletons then others that healed quickly, others were fragile and needed more time. He didn't know how Suzie's skull would heal—or if it would heal at all. He refused to think about the horrific fear lurking in the back of his mind. If anything bad happened to her…he'd never be able to forgive himself.

…

The next morning, with only an hour's fitful sleep, Randall crept up to the ship's top deck to survey the open sea. It was the first day of December, and they were due to arrive in Iceland right about now. When the ship docked, that was when he had to decide his next move. Nothing on board was going to fix a broken skull. But if he could break into a hospital…maybe then.

"That'll mean postponing the trip home…" Randall considered the consequences. Very likely the ship would continue on its journey without them.

He stood amongst the shipping containers by the railing, in a crisp winter wind. The air was so cold that he zipped up his jacket all the way in a hurry. It was so early in the morning that the sun wasn't even out yet—but he glimpsed a mass of land far off on the horizon. The sea below spread out far and wide, churning from the ship's engines and shining blue-black in the darkness. Randall was surprised to see a few small icebergs floating about. They posed no threat to the ship, but such a sight verified how far north they had travelled.

"Great. A snowy island in winter, and we're going to be stranded on it for who knows how long…how am going to get her off this ship?" He retreated into the vents with a whole new set of problems on his mind.

…

This wouldn't be easy. Randall packed up the gear quickly; the ship would be docking any minute. He wore both his own backpack and Suzie's, each stuffed to bursting with every weapon, tool, and all the other supplies. He had carefully put an oversized coat on her, so as to leave room for the splint. He gently wrapped her head in a turban of scarves and bandages, thick enough to protect the huge break. Even as he got her ready for the trip, she didn't wake. She still breathed and her heart was still faint. No changes.

He was ready, but still wasn't sure how this would work. He paced around to think. "OK, OK…how do I do this? I can't go dragging you through the vents, not like this. The crew will find us in the corridors…the only other way is through the cargo hold doors, which will be swarming with people." He yanked on his fronds in frustration. "Ugh! This is not good…"

So caught up was he with the problem that he jumped upon hearing a shuffle from the stairwell. "Oh no, not now! I've got enough to deal with." He made sure Suzie was hidden and went to go divert whoever it was had come down into the room.

Even the smallest sound echoed in the cargo hold. When Randall reached the stairwell, staying high up on the pyramids of crates, he found no one. Instead, a person's footsteps were heard walking around on the steel floor. The stranger was humming a cheerful tune, making him easier to find. Randall used his honed climbing skills and got to higher ground. He squinted around in every direction. Even from up here, there was no sign of the guy. Just _finding_ him was crucial! How was he supposed to draw him away from the hideout, otherwise?

When the whistling suddenly halted and a gasp of shock sounded out, Randall's fears came true: someone had found the camp…

The crewman was a young, heavy-set Spaniard with black hair and a stubbly beard. He wore plain trousers and a work shirt underneath a jacket bearing the shipping company's logo. A clipboard was in his hands; he looked like he was about to drop it, though. While checking the crates marked on his list, he had stumbled across the injured, unconscious Suzie. Just by pushing one of the boxes aside, he found her completely be accident. His surprise then turned into marveled confusion and he took a step forward…

Randall took action and jumped from his perch. He landed a mere ten feet away from the crewman. He took a defensive stance and pulled out a knife, baring his sharp teeth with a snarl.

The stranger jumped backwards in alarm. The clipboard clattered to the floor as he raised his hands in surrender. His eyes popped wide open in disbelief. "Que…Que en el mundo…?" The monstrous purple lizard was armed, and huddled over the blue creature in a protective way. Some of its teeth were bared and ready for combat. But the way it was glaring was too sentient to be animalistic…The strange, unnerving sight was enough to make the man turn and run for his life.

Then Randall did something unthinkable. It was a last-minute idea, and it was out of his mouth before he could even stop to think about it. He called after him. "Wait!"

It made the crewman stop.

"Get back here! I need help!" Randall winced at his own stupidity. _What am I doing?!_ He was practically revealing the entire existence of the Monster World by doing this! Not once in history had anyone willingly spoken to a human adult before. Except for that time Becca shot and killed someone…If humans knew of the existence of monsters, the entire world would fall into chaos.

The Spaniard had a most astonished look as he took several tentative steps forward. It seemed his curiosity was too much to ignore.

Randall remained huddled over Suzie as a precaution. "Do you speak English?"

The man's mouth hung open for a moment in shock, but he responded. "No hablo ingles…Tu…puedes hablar? Que eres?"

He spoke in Spanish. Something along the lines of, 'You can speak? What are you?' By studying the dictionary translators, Randall was more familiar with French then Spanish, but he gave it a shot, struggling with the pronunciation. "Er…Me puedes ayudar? Nescesito…er…encontrar un hospital."

The crewman took a glance at Suzie and guessed what was wrong. His eyes were so wide they were about to pop out of their sockets. "…There is a hospital in the town…What are you?"

"What am I? A _monster_! What else?" Randall snapped impatiently. He would never reveal the whole story. Hoping his Spanish was sounding half-decent and not too badly-accented, he tried to get more information. "Uh… _Where_ in town? I need to figure out how to help her."

"I don't know. I've only been to this island once before, and not in this port," he stepped closer, fascinated by who he was talking to. "Who is she?" he pointed at Suzie. He picked up his clipboard and held it like a shield, still not too sure of these creatures.

"My friend. She fell from up there," Randall briefly explained the accident, how he hadn't been here when she fell. When he'd finished, he hesitated, not wanting to tell the stranger too much. He knew of how Becca once had to kill a man when he refused to keep the monsters' existence a secret. Randall didn't want to resort to such brutality.

"I see…why are you hiding in here?" the man asked.

"We're just trying to get home."

The man was still curious. "Are there more like you?"

"That's not for you to know, and none of your concern." Randall said threateningly. The man, however, did not seem discouraged. The monster saw this as a red light, so he continued with caution. "I have to get her off this ship. It's the only way I can save her. Help us out…please. I can't repay you, but you'll be saving this girl's life, and mine, too."

The man lowered the clipboard. "And if you are seen?"

Randall hardly needed to answer that. "Um, we're monsters? It's best if we're not. Trust me."

The man nodded. All of his unease seemed to have evaporated now. He scratched the stubble on his chin, deciding what to do. Finally, he said, "Well…alright, I'll help you."

Randall was taken aback, extremely surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. I don't know if I want to get mixed up in this…Is this really happening? After all, who'd believe me if I told anyone? I'd be fired for insanity." Actually, the man was more wary of the knife in the lizard's hand, and of the set of sharp teeth. It would be wiser if he cooperated. "I'll lead you up to the gangplank onto the docks. Can you carry her?"

Randall lifted Suzie off the floor. He carried her with three arms, keeping the fourth trained on the stranger.

The Spaniard backed away as the monster rose to his feet—of which there were four. The lizard stood well over a head taller and was an intimidating sight. "Do you have a name?"

Randall kept a serious face. This wasn't some meet-and-make-friends scenario. "Why?"

The man dropped the subject and explained what was to happen next. He agreed to lead them up to where a gangplank would be. The crew was on the small side for this voyage, and it was likely not many of them would be using this particular ramp, since it was near the rear of the ship. The walkway led straight onto the docks. "…but after that, that is it. I have no wish to be involved with creatures from another world. People will think I'm insane, no doubt. Where do you come from? Another planet?"

"Good God, no. It's none of your concern where we're from," Randall followed him to the stairwell. "Besides, that would take too long to explain."

The vibrations from the ship's engines were not so string, anymore; it was slowing down to prepare for docking. Randall quickly thought to when he was on solid ground again. He'd have to hightail out of town and into the wilderness somewhere to wait for nightfall. Then he could infiltrate a hospital. Of course, only if this stranger kept his word! Why was he putting trust into someone who could just as easily turn them in to a science lab for dissection? The whole Monster World was now at risk because he was doing this. Randall looked down at Suzie's limp form in his arms. _Well, we don't have any other choice right now._

The man led on through several corridors. Many times he ushered Randall and Suzie into random empty rooms so that other crewmembers would pass by. Approaching people would often greet him, several stopped to talk, and Randall worried they might call him away from a job elsewhere onboard. _They'd better not; this guy is our only way off this rig._ But such a thing never happened. During this time, the ship's engines died, and the vibrations stopped like they did every time the boat was at rest.

"This way—a lot of people are on this level, so stay close. The gangplank is up one more flight of stairs." The man said after fifteen minutes of sneaking. He turned to gawp at the two remarkable strangers again. He had been doing this ever since leaving the cargo hold and Randall was beginning to get annoyed.

"Will you quit staring?!" he finally snapped in English. His anger didn't need to be translated.

"Lo siento…" the man apologized. "It's just—this is incredible! I've never seen anything like you—"

"And you never will again. Hold on, stop just a minute," Randall pulled the man aside, nearly losing his grip on Suzie. "Do I have your word you will keep quiet about us? Do you absolutely swear? No one can know about us. _No one_ , do you hear me? Life will become chaos on both sides, if they do."

The man listened to the forceful, yet desperate tone. The way this purple creature had been watching over the blue one this entire time was fiercely protective. If they had managed to stay hidden onboard ever since this voyage began, such a feat was admirable. And the female creature looked so weak and drained…the crewman wasn't sure if she would make it. Head trauma was a very serious thing…the purple lizard was still waiting for an answer. The man stood up straight and honorably. "No one will ever know you were here. I swear."

Randall hoped he meant it.

The man snuck the two monsters past a dozen other crewmembers. Even the no-nonsense captain, who nearly dragged himaway for a scolding on why the list of cargo wasn't properly filed. Randall ducked into a maintenance closet to wait for the dispute to be over. "Hang in there, Suzie. We're almost out of here."

A few more corridors and a staircase later, the smell of fresh, icy air drifted into the ship.

"Now, I will wave to you from the docks when it is safe," The Spaniard looked out into the open air. "This port is at the very edge of town. If you go along the beach and then due north once you're far enough away, you'll end up in the highlands. Iceland is not a very populated island; I doubt anyone will take much notice of you two up there. As for the hospital, I'm guessing it's near the center of town."

Randall nodded once in understanding. He hid in the doorway of the ship as the man walked down onto the docks. It was littered with shipping containers, probably from other freights. Further down, Randall spied several workers concentrated at the cargo hold door. Everyone's jobs seemed to be keeping them busy over there. It wouldn't stay that way forever, though.

The stranger was doing a quick survey of the area. He walked around, trying to find an escape route for the monsters while pretending to read his clipboard. The act was pretty convincing. When Randall saw him wave the signal, he scuttled down to solid ground with Suzie still in his arms. For a second, the dock seemed to sway up and down as if it were an ocean. He expected something like that after all that time at sea. "Which way?" he hissed to the man.

"There're a couple of my co-workers around the corner. I'll lead them away, so wait here a moment and then run when it's clear." The man left them in a hiding spot of crates and barrels.

Randall took the time to poke his head out and have a look at the nearby Icelandic town. It was still very dark; from what he could see, it was a small place, with simple buildings and a rural feel. "Oh please, have a hospital close by…" he adjusted his hold on Suzie, who was still unmoving.

The man walked by in the opposite direction, this time in the thicket of a group of other dock workers. He was speaking to them casually, while leading them away from the monsters' escape route. Randall took flight when they had all passed. Soon after, the man reappeared and led them all the way down the docks. They kept going, sneaking and hiding, until they reached a stone flight of steps that led onto the rocky beach. A few close calls had been avoided all thanks to the man's integrity. Randall found it easier to trust him, now that he had proven his loyalty.

The crewman wiped sheens of nervous sweat from his brow, and looked at Suzie's limp form. Her stillness, homemade splint, and bandaged head worried him. "How is your friend? Still holding up?"

"For now, yes. Don't know how long she'll last…"

The man wasn't sure what to advice. Obviously the girl had to get to a doctor, which was out of the question for these characters. "Well…my name is Mateo. If you need any more help, I'll be working here for a couple of days. The ship isn't due to leave port for a while."

Randall nodded.

"So, where are you headed now? The highlands?" the man called as Randall began carrying Suzie off along the cold, rocky beach.

"Yes. The sun will be up soon, so I guess that's the only place to go." Randall resolved to get into a hospital as soon as he could. He took a final glance at the stranger. "Gracias."

"De nada." Mateo wished them luck, waving goodbye.

Randall heard more workers on the docks above, yelling orders at the top of their lungs. Mateo took this as his cue to go, and the unexpected allies parted ways. The crewman did not look back at the monsters; a part of him still didn't quite believe everything that had just happened.

…

There was a lightly armed coast guard along the beach, so Randall got to high ground quickly lest he be spotted. Carrying Suzie uphill all the way was tiring.

When dawn finally came, he got a better look at the Icelandic landscape. The sky seemed to stretch out to the edge of the earth. It was cloudless, with chilled winter air and cold winds. There was no snow on the ground, which Randall found strange considering the time of year and how far north they were. He would later learn that Iceland's climate was temperate because of the Gulf Stream and the warm North Atlantic Currant. This meant that winters were usually mild.

The hill on which he stood had a good lookout point from which he could view the town. It really was a small place, nestled down near the coast amongst the hills. Several houses were scattered up here as well, some with animals like dogs or even sheep and horses. Randall steered clear from these places and focused on the town, trying to find sight of a hospital. From way up here, he couldn't see the buildings too clearly. The second it got dark again and the town became quiet, he would be able to get down there and have a thorough look around. He wanted to go right now, but first had to find a safe place for Suzie. He couldn't just leave her lying out in the open. What if wild animals found her? Or people?

"Well…maybe someone will help—No. That is a last resort, only! Just because one guy helped us, doesn't mean others will." Randall realized he was talking to himself again. He checked Suzie's strange facial bruising, which he suspected was a serious symptom of head trauma. "Well, Suzie, we'd better get away from the roads. There has to be some sort of shelter on this island."

What concerned him a great deal was the lack of trees. The landscape was mostly cliffs and hills, nothing but open space all around…at one point he snuck past a large property that had a small stable with three horses. He was tempted to steal one; a horse would make travelling across the meadows faster. But he reconsidered when the horses whinnied in alarm at the mere sight of him and tried to trample him.

About a mile from town, he finally found a suitable place to camp: an outcropping of land underneath a cliff. It was only a patch of dirt, with a treacherous drop down a steep slope. The shelter had a roof of rock to keep out any rain or snow. A stupendous view of the sky was given, with the beach not too far off. One key reason for choosing this place was the small trickle of fresh water running from the stream outside. On the downside, the place had direct access to the open hills; there was a risk of being discovered by hikers, but it was the best Randall could do.

Randall made a comfortable mattress for Suzie and laid a blanket over her. He unpacked the gear and weapons, proceeding to make camp. There was no wood to burn for a fire, so they would have to endure the cold winds for now. When everything was finished, he set out to do a bit of hunting—this was new territory full of new animals, and he was curious as to what was out there. Out in the hills, he ended up catching an Arctic fox for dinner. If Suzie was up to eating what she awoke, a whole fox would be a satisfying meal.

He grew more worried about her by the second. In France, she had saved his life from the gruesome infected gunshot wound. The scarring would always remind him of that. Now more than ever, he was determined to repay the favor and save her life.

…

About an hour before nightfall, Suzie's eyes fluttered open a crack. Randall had been waiting on pins and needles all day and rushed over in a blink. "Thank God. Suzie, can you hear me? Don't try to move, OK? You've been out for a while."

"Ugh…" she feebly raised a hand to feel the turban of bandages. "…This hurts…" Without moving, she looked around at the rocky outcropping, at the dirt and rock walls, and heard the distant sound of waves on the beach. Of course she was very confused. "New York?"

"No. Iceland. Our final stop will have to wait."

"But…why?" Suzie's words were spoken very slowly and she struggled to respond.

He explained quickly. "Call it a postponing. I'm gonna figure out how to patch you up before we do any more travelling, OK? You've bashed up your skull to the point where it's dented."

"Dented? Cool…How did that happen?" She smiled weakly. Randall was concerned by her odd behavior. He asked her some basic questions to see if she had suffered any memory loss. It turned out she had. Her solo raid in the cargo hold had been erased completely; the last thing she recalled was their game of hide-and-seek amongst the crates, and that was several days ago. "Wait, how'd we get off the ship?"

"You are never going to believe this, but one of the crewmen help us. Some guy named Mateo. Apparently studying those dictionaries is paying off; I spoke Spanish to him the whole time. Not perfectly, mind you, but well enough to get by. I'll tell you about what happened later. Right now, just get some rest, OK?"

Suzie saw the dark circles around his eyes. "You look tired, too."

He nodded. She had been out like a light for nearly two days and he had barely slept a wink. It would be wise to get some sleep before heading out to the hospital. If he had to perform head surgery later, it was better to be alert.

Suzie winced. "Ow…Worst. Headache. Ever…Are we really in Iceland? I wish Becca was here…she'd love to see the Northern Lights. I read they should be visible this far north."

"Really? Wow. That'll be a sight," Randall glanced out at the sky, which was very clear, perfect for such a spectacle. "Tell you what, when you're feeling not-so-broken, let's go up to the highlands to look for them. I doubt you've be fit to travel anytime soon…Can you sit up? I want to check your head again."

She needed help sitting up; doing so caused a tremendous wave of pain. She complained that her head was about to blow up. It was here when she noticed her broken arm. "My arm, too? How far did I fall?"

Randall unwrapped the thick layer of bandages to find more disturbing symptoms. The area around the break had swelled up. Even more facial bruising had appeared, and a bit of blood was coming out of her ears. He held her face steady as he examined it; one of her pupils was far bigger than the other. She also seemed to be struggling to get words out. "…Bad?"

"Yeah, bad…your pulse is still slow, too."

"Oh." She huddled under her blanket as he rewrapped her head. She tried to ask what would happen now, but the sudden bout of aphasia made it difficult.

Randall understood and tried to sound encouraging. "Relax. Everything will be fine. I'll figure something out, don't worry…Just take it easy and rest. I might need to operate to fix that break, but with the right—" he went silent upon seeing her fearful face and regretted saying that. To make amends, he sat down beside her and put a reassuring arm around her.

To his surprise, she accepted the hug and leaned into him. "Sorry I fell…It's really messed things up, now."

"It was an accident, not your fault," Randall glanced out at the sky again, which would soon be dark enough to smuggle equipment into the hideout. Serious skull fractures sometimes needed surgery in order to heal…and how was he ever going to accomplish that? Maybe he should go back to Mateo…the man had offered to help, and thanks to him, they had escaped the ship. He looked back at Suzie, who was too distraught even to cry. He said nothing more. Just this awkward hug seemed to be enough to comfort her.

Suzie contemplated telling him…should she? If the break went from bad to worse, she wanted him to at least know…"Thanks for getting us out here. Listen, I want to tell you something, just in case something bad—"

"Don't talk like that," Randall interrupted, thinking she was in a state of giving up. "There'll be time to talk later…When this is over, we should keep a lookout for another ship to the mainland. That cargo is sure to be gone by the time you're healed. I should start heading out soon; it'll be dark by the time I get to town."

"Oh. OK…Just hurry back. I don't want to be by myself for too long." Suzie settled down on her mattress of coats and blankets. The throbbing headache was so great that the will to sleep was being thwarted. Eventually, she did doze off, with Randall keeping watch until making sure she was asleep before leaving.

He hurried down the dark cliffside as fast as he could. Suzie was getting worse; there was no time to loose.

…

The hospital raid ended up being futile.

He searched every room, spent hours sneaking around, reading everything he could get his hands on, and eavesdropping on doctors' and nurses' conversations…with nothing but trivial information to show for it. There wasn't much else to go on when it came to learning about skull fractures. He did manage to smuggle out powerful pain medications instead. They would make Suzie more comfortable, but do little else. He decided to try another long search the following night. If nothing else helpful came, only then would he go find Mateo. If one man could keep quiet about a couple of monsters, maybe there was a doctor who could as well.

"Just give me a couple of days, Suzie. That's all we'll need…" He whispered as he climbed back up into the hills. His state of mind would soon take a turn for the worst. Life was about to spiral out of control.

He returned that night with the pain meds and found Suzie's heart still beating…but it wasn't when the sun rose. She hung on for as long as she could, but the fall had been too great. It happened so quickly…She died in her sleep at dawn; quietly, without a word, in the cliffs of Iceland.

 **Oh, now I feel sad. :( From the very beginning, when I first came up with the plot and concept for this whole story, Suzie always was going to die. I'm so attached to my characters that I hate to kill one of them off. I really do. But Suzie dying is such an important part and unfortunately not a part that changes in this re-posting. Next chapter is very sad, but after that, things will start getting happier. Promise!**

 **Also, Suzie's death is a key thing in the sequel I'm working on. (SEQUEL! Yeah!) I'm finally getting around to the sequel that has been brewing in my head for literally, a couple of years, now. But for now, let's continue this tale. See you later!**

 **I don't know a word of Spanish in real life, so Google Translate to the rescue:**

 _Que en el mundo?_ —What in the world?

 _No hablo ingles_ —I don't speak English

 _Tu puedes hablar_ —You can speak?

 _Que eres?_ —What are you?

 _Me puedes ayudar?_ —Can you help me?

 _Nescesito encontrar un hospital_ —I need to find a hospital

 _Lo siento_ —I'm sorry

 _Gracias_ —Thank you

 _De nada_ —You're welcome


	32. December Moods

**OMG My computer was broken for over a week and I wasn't able to type a thing! Sorry for the wait! Without further delays, here's the next part. :)**

 **This part is quite sad. Randall has to cope with the sudden death of Suzie, and has another run-in with the crewman who helped them before. At the same time, the rest of the gang is still awaiting news from the Monster World, as well as the return of the missing duo. Read and enjoy!**

Chapter Thirty-One: December Moods

Snow had fallen on the highlands of Iceland. It would have been a very festive scene, if only Randall wasn't so depressed. The white stuff settled on the cliffs and hills, forming such a smooth blanket that it was a shame to step on it. Hunting was a bit trickier now. True, the animals left tracks behind, but Randall couldn't use sneak attacks to bring anything down. His footsteps were too audible in the snow, and the animals too aware. He was only able to hunt from a distance. Arctic foxes, puffins and the occasional herd of reindeer wandered through the valley. But he was only forcing himself to hunt and eat. _Forcing_ himself to stay alive…he was in the midst of a crisis.

Suzie was dead.

The girl had succumbed to her injuries and _died_ …probably from the head trauma and excessive prolonged pressure on her brain. A part of him didn't even want to believe it, hoping that it was all a bad dream.

It wasn't.

Her grave was dug in the cold ground, sheltered by a couple of boulders. He had covered it with rocks so as to camouflage it against the landscape. Anyone looking at it would never suspect it was a grave. No one would ever know she was here…

Randall had carried her body far inland. These uninhabited highlands were devoid of people; the nearest civilization was two days away. Up here, the skies were wide and open. On clear nights, the Northern Lights were sometimes visible. He remembered Suzie's request to go out and see them when her head was better; a request made mere hours before she died. Taking her up here was a way to honor that last wish.

Several days had gone by since burying her. Randall had made a camp close to the site. He was still in a state of shock and had not spoken much since, ever since discovering her dead. At first, he thought she was merely sleeping…when he tried to revive her, he had begged her not to go. He performed CPR and breathed for her, but she had already slipped away in her sleep. That was a horrible morning.

Today was a windy, cold day. He wrapped his face up against the icy wind. It was torture, living out here in the open land! His purple scales had taken on a subtle frost pattern and a translucent icy sheen. It was an inadvertent reaction to the constant freezing weather. Often his fingers and toes felt stiff and his energy was always low. He longed to light a bigger fire, but there were no trees out here; nothing at all to burn except for dead grass and it was a great effort to dig it out from beneath the snow. His sleeping quarters was only a tent constructed of all the blankets. It was warm enough inside and better than nothing.

"There isn't much time left... that ship is leaving for New York soon." Randall finally spoke to himself as he prepared to go out hunting. A few new tracks had appeared nearby—reindeer. A whole herd by the looks of it. Such a hearty meal was tempting and he gathered up his slingshot and a couple of throwing knives. "This might be the only hunt left if I decide to go catch the boat…won't have another chance to reach the mainland if I miss it."

Suzie's grave was only a stone's throw away. He gazed at it sadly.

A week ago, she was alive and breathing. _It's all my fault…If I had only been there when she fell…_ Randall had never been one to show his feelings. So he grieved silently for Suzie. She was the innocent one of the group, the youngest, and the optimist, the one who always thought up something good to say and try to make everyone laugh. She wasn't even banished in the first place! _Why_ did this have to happen? Randall would have traded places with her in an instant.

Burying her had been difficult—the hardest thing he had ever done, really. He hadn't thought of what to say yet. Saying a few words seemed the right thing to do; a eulogy of sorts. No one would be around to hear it, though. Randall was determined to say something, just not yet. Her death had been so sudden that even after burying her, reality still hadn't sunk in.

…

He tracked a herd of reindeer for over an hour. The herd was small, and had spread out to graze in the snow. Sneaking up for an attack was impossible. Even invisible, he would still make footprints and disturb the stuff. He refused to take off his jacket to become invisible. That was just _asking_ for hypothermia. He spied out skillfully at the herd, feeling hungry.

One of the reindeer was an old, wizened thing: a male with large antlers and a lot of grey streaks throughout its fur. Randall saw it had a slight limp on one leg. He hadn't had a decent meal for a while and an entire reindeer would be a welcome feast; the antlers he could make into tools or weapons, too.

To shoot it down, Randall climbed up a small cliff overlooking the herd. It was the only way to get close enough. The powerful crossbow-like slingshot was loaded with the smallest of the throwing knives. He lay flat on the snowy rock and squinted. Being a sniper from this distance was hard, especially without glasses to help. Randall waited until his target bent down to graze before firing. The knife ammo hit it in the neck, but didn't kill it. The entire herd bellowed in alarm and scattered into disarray. He acted quickly, jumping from ledge to ledge back to the ground. He loaded another knife and ran in chase, not caring if he was seen now.

He shot at his limping target again before it would run off with the rest. This time it collapsed to its knees, bellowing in pain. Randall made a running lunge at the deer's jugular, killing it instantly with a single bite.

With such a big kill, traipsing through the bitter cold snow made it all worth it. With plenty of food now, his spirits rose.

A sudden pang of guilt came over him. He had been in the midst of coaching Suzie on how to hunt big game like this. She had been getting the hang of her knife-throwing skills. She'd never hone them, now.

…

When he returned to camp, hauling the reindeer by the antlers (an exhausting job that left him very out-of-breath.) he discovered the place was not empty.

He noticed a bundled-up person from a ways off and immediately dashed behind a couple of boulders. _Great. I can't be dealing with intruders now, of all times. Enough has gone wrong._ He loaded the slingshot with a few pebbles, intending to scare the hiker away. _What's he doing this far inland, anyway?_ He fired a rock at the man's shoulder. The stranger yelped and spun around in alarm. This made the heavy fur hood of his coat fall back at the same time.

That's when Randall recognized him. It was Mateo, the heavy-set, stubble-faced Spaniard from the cargo ship. Quite annoyed, Randall stood and emerged from his hiding place.

The man waved a mitten-ed hand nervously. He had a hikers' style backpack on, as if he had been planning a few days' worth of camping.

It was definitely him. Randall lowered the slingshot and called out, "Oh, it's only you. What are you doing here?" He then remembered the language barrier and switched to Spanish. "Que estas haciendo aqui?"

"Hola de nuevo," he called back warily. "Just checking up on you and the girl. You're extremely hard people—creatures, monsters, whatever—to track down. I've been hiking for pretty much four days straight!"

"What about the freighter? It's supposed to have left port by now." Randall resumed dragging the dead reindeer into camp.

"Well, it was supposed to. I made a few modifications to the engines. It'll take a while for the engineers to sort it out."

Randall cast a quizzical look and crossed all his arms angrily. "Why? Just so you could come and find us? I warned you not to follow us! What if your shipmates show up here, looking for you? Then we'll both be in trouble."

"I know, I know, but I was worried," Mateo said as Randall ran around the campsite's perimeter, looking out over the cliffs to see if anyone else had come. "Relax, no one else is here. You sure are paranoid about being discovered. I always keep my word and I said I wouldn't tell anyone about you two. Didn't smuggling you off the ship prove anything?"

Randall groaned. Yes, that did prove some loyalty.

The monster got to work butchering the reindeer while Mateo sat on a rock and explained how he had sabotaged the ship's engines. He was able to cause a long enough delay to go out looking for the monsters. Some of the crew had settled in the town's only hotel while repairs were being made. Mateo had bought along some hiking gear, a warm coat, and lots of camping supplies. Traversing across Iceland's coast and highlands in wintertime was no easy feat. But he had some experience in tracking and hiking, so he managed. The sight of the butchered reindeer made him queasy, but he finished up his story, anyway. "…so my crewmates didn't question too much. I'm just a cargo handler, and couldn't help much with the repairs, anyway. They just think I'm out here to stretch my legs on solid land. So, how is the girl? I just realized I don't even know your names; who are you? You said a minute ago the girl's name is Suzie, right?"

"Suzanne, yeah. My name's Randall." He didn't look up from the deer, not sure if he was ready to talk about her.

"Randall and Suzie; good to finally meet you. Well? A broken skull is serious business. Did you find what you needed in the hospital? If you still need help, there must be something I can—"

"Suzie didn't make it." There was a terrible pause. Mateo had been looking over at the camp's tent, thinking Suzie was inside, resting. When he didn't respond, Randall repeated. "She died in her sleep. There was nothing I could do…there wasn't enough time, anyway."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Mateo was disturbed by the news. The royal-blue monster had looked so frail, that one time he had seen her, unconscious and injured. And what an event for the purple lizard to undergo. "How old was she?"

"Too young. She just turned nineteen." Randall nodded at Suzie's grave and explained what had happened. His silent grief threatened to boil over, but he kept it in check—although his voice did crack once.

"Oh my. You two were on your way home!" said Mateo. "Oh, the poor girl…what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know…this changes everything. I promised the others I would look after her, and now she's gone! I can't go back home. What am I supposed to say? Suzie's sister will be—" he stopped. Becca's emotions were very unpredictable, but she cared and loved her sister deeply. He imagined her as a combination of heartbroken and maliciously mad—if he did end up returning to tell her the news. He gazed around at the snow-covered plains and hills. Suddenly this place didn't seem so bad. A remote island in the north was the last place anyone would look for him. "I think I'll stay here for the time being."

"Why? Sure, Iceland's winters are mild on average—weird, considering the name, I know—but just so you can escape from this problem? How will you get home when the freighter leaves?"

Randall rolled his eyes. "I'll swim. Also, you expect me to pack up just _days_ after burying my friend?! She's one of the few that I've got. I haven't even said goodbye to her yet."

"I'm sorry about her. Truly, I am," Mateo flinched when the monster stood up in anger, holding the butchering knife. "But once the freighter sets sail, it could be a long wait until another one shows up. You may be stranded here for a long time."

Randall groaned and pulled on his fronds in frustration. Again, Mateo had a point.

"Won't you tell me where you're going after reaching the mainland?"

"No." Randall refused. As helpful as this ally was, he still didn't want to risk exposing the Monster World. The camp in Louisiana would be staying a secret. He sat on the boulder opposite Mateo to think for a moment. Several minutes later, when he still couldn't decide, he asked. "Exactly when is the freighter leaving?"

"Next week, for sure. Maybe sooner if the engineers work around the clock."

"OK. Here's what the plan is: You remember the rocky beach by the docks? If I decide to take the trip, I'll meet you there in three days, exactly. If I'm not there by midnight on that day, then you'll know what I've decided."

Mateo nodded. "Got it."

"Good. You know, you humans aren't all that bad. You're the first one I've had intelligent conversation with, but still. Humans have quite a reputation in my world; only seen as a power resource to keep the cities lit."

Mateo was confounded. "Huh?"

"Never mind. I shouldn't be mentioning my world, anyway. Just leave and get out of here so I can think things through, would you? I'm not in the mood to chat with anyone."

Mateo sighed. "Very well. I've got a long hike back to town anyway; best I get started. I sincerely hope you make a wise decision. It wouldn't be right to leave your friends in the dark about all this, would it? They deserve to know."

Mateo left after paying his respects to Suzie and agreed to be at the meeting place at the right time. Weather the purple lizard would show up or not, he couldn't say.

Randall was left alone again. He feasted on the raw reindeer hungrily that evening. One convenient thing about being a monster, you could eat just about anything. He remembered cafeterias often served up fresh garbage straight from a trash can, sometimes. He was deep in thought as the Northern Lights lit up the sky. He had to make a decision on where to go from here, and fast.

…

That night was very fitful. Much of it was spent lying awake, watching stars or the colored lights. With the sunrise, he made up his mind. But first, to pay his last respects; something he had been delaying. The grave of boulders still didn't feel like the proper place; Suzie deserved better than this.

"Um…hi, Suzie. I'm…heading back to the mainland, after all. Mateo bought us some time and the ship leaves soon…Probably won't get another chance to sail for a long time if I don't leave now. It looks like you won't get to see New York…"

He sat down by the grave, unsure of how to go on. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…ugh, why did this have to happen? Especially now, so close to the holidays…It's supposed to be a happier time than this. Becca is waiting for you! What do I say to her?"

The thought brought up a new stage of worry; Suzie was Becca's only living family. Now she now no one. He kept on talking, trying to release some of the guilt. "I know if you were here, you'd say that this wasn't my fault. That it was an accident; that it just _happened_. Well, I'm still responsible. Finding help in the Monster World was _my_ idea and that's what led up to this…" he noticed the orange and pink colors of the sunrise and stared at them wistfully. At least Suzie was in a place with a view. The Northern Lights would flicker right over this spot, just for her. "But I'll make everything right again, somehow. I'll go back, tell them what happened—augh, no! Who am I kidding? How can I even think about going back now?!...The mainland for sure, but back to the others? Louisiana was really starting to feel like home, too…maybe if they forgive me, I'll bring them here someday. I don't want to abandon you out here, Suzie. They'll want to come see you, I just know it."

Randall went on talking to her for a long while. His voice faltered at times, but he never stopped. Expressing sorrow had always been difficult for him. Even when his mother had died, rarely did he shed a tear afterwards. He found this helped, talking to Suzie. Her death had affected him greatly, so much that it was hard to leave the campsite, once he was packed and ready to go.

Before he really left for good, he turned to her grave one last time. "Sorry to leave you here. I'll bring them here, I promise…oh, and one last thing: 'A monster got his tail caught in a revolving door. He said, 'It won't be long, now.'" Bad, I know, but I made it up myself. Hope it made you laugh…see you later."

He walked through the snow slowly, looking back over his shoulder many times until Suzie's final resting place was out of sight.

…

Randall arrived in New York alone. So many thoughts distracted him that the days it took to get there seemed to fly by.

The responsibility he was feeling was really setting in, now. It wasn't supposed to be this way…Suzie was supposed to be here, too. He remembered her mentioning that she had been curious to see the big city all lit up for the holidays. She had heard New York was phenomenal around this time of the year. She was right; for enormous Christmas trees could be found everywhere: in parks, in city squares, on rooftops, in department store windows…Randall could spy a few marvels from the deck of the ship. He watched the magnificent Statue of Liberty as it glided in and out of sight as the ship sailed by.

It was late at night and the city lights made the skyline a spectacle to behold. The skyscrapers and high-rises were amazing to look at, as if the stars had fallen to earth. The harbor's docks were approaching; not long now until he had to make his way into the city that never slept. _No sleeping tonight, I have to get through this place quickly._ He would've remained invisible for the mad trip, but he was loaded down with supplies, warm clothes, and the backpacks. He wore both of them, filled with all the gear and weapons. Multiple scarves were wrapped around his neck and he had insulated his jackets with more scarves, but he was still freezing. _Geez, I think Iceland is actually_ warmer _then this place!_

He ducked behind some shipping containers as a group of crewmen walked past. Days had gone by since leaving Iceland. He had considered up to the last minute to turn down the sailing and staying in the highlands…he just hated leaving Suzie's grave out there…he couldn't even describe the guilt. It was like abandoning her out in the middle of nowhere. The feeling was incomprehensible.

Randall ventured back to the railing once the crewmen had left earshot. He looked at the city skyline miserably. The next stage of his journey was about to start. _I promised to watch out for her; keep her safe and all that. Now she's dead…what am I going to say to the others?_ He buried his head in his hands as he remembered his resolution. _I wanted to change; prove that I'm not some lying, deceitful psychopath…and now this happens._ There was still a long trip ahead. He could always delay heading back and return to his fellow banished monsters later…

He headed back to the cargo hold via the ventilation ducts. Mateo was due to show up down there. The Spaniard had been very helpful these last few days, bringing food and water, and keeping Randall informed of how the ship was progressing as it neared its destination. The man was still too curious about the monster. He kept asking questions, trying to learn more, but Randall was stubborn and refused to answer. All Mateo could deduce was that the lizard was travelling to reunite with either family or friends. Where he was going exactly, he would never know.

Mateo found him waiting amongst the crates near the cargo hold door. "We're nearly at port, now. Randall, how are you getting through the city? New York is a pretty big place, and busy."

"I'll figure something out," Randall had the idea of using the maze of underground sewers and subways to get through. It was either that or swim in sub-zero temperature water. He was grateful for Mateo's help in getting off the ship, but he wasn't about to reveal where he was going. The curious man would only end up following.

Mateo was ready to give up prying, anyway. "Boy, you are stubborn. I just want to help. If you and your friends end up in more trouble—"

"No! I will not risk anything else going haywire!" Randall jumped down from the crates in fury. "A girl is _dead_ because of me! If I had just been here when she fell…it would never have happened. Suzie would have been on the way home, too. By the way, you had better not follow. One of them is liable to shoot you on sight."

"Oh," Mateo shuddered.

"You don't seem to understand. I cannot put the Monster World at risk; you already know way too much. Monsters are better left to their own devices. There are probably dozens living in your world, already. Bigfoot, Abominable Snowman—"

"Really? I never would have believed those stories, if I hadn't met you. Maybe I should go out and do some searching."

"You do that. It'll keep you busy. Just don't come searching for my friends, OK? Please."

Mateo always kept promises, but this one would be hard to keep. Just knowing about an entire group of monsters was out there was overwhelming. But he solemnly swore. "Alright. I promise. I won't come looking for your group." He paused upon coming to another subject. "Once again, I'm terribly sorry about the girl—Suzanne. How are you holding up?"

Randall leaned sorrowfully against the wall. "Fine. It's just…What am I going to tell them?"

Mateo didn't know what to advice. The ship's engines would soon be dying down in preparation for docking, and then the lizard would be gone, off on his way to God-knows-where, without the girl. Nineteen years old was too young to die. Mateo was sure he would've been able to help save her, somehow. If only there had been enough time.

When the ship came to a full stop, Mateo led Randall up through the decks to the rear gangplank. The ship began bustling with activity. A new city meant a whole new shipment to deal with, so everyone on board was rushing about madly. People who worked on the docks were coming aboard, too, so Mateo found the trip more challenging. At every turn practically, Randall had to linger behind, or dive into an empty room, dragging the gear along to avoid being seen. It was a tense time. The duo worked as a team; Randall often dashed down a hall while Mateo distracted fellow crewmates at hallway intersections.

They used the same method out on the open docks, where a treacherous amount of dockworkers were strolling near the ship. Randall hid behind rows of crates and barrels, never staying in one place for long. Eventually, they made it to the dark outskirts of the harbor. The smell of salt, fish, and winter air mixed with stale gasoline hung in the air. The buildings were much closer now. City lights rose up high in the form of lighted windows, skyscrapers, and Christmas lights, leaving no stars visible because of the glow.

Randall reached the edge of the docks first, and gazed wide-eyed up at the lit skyscrapers. He ducked behind a bench to hear honking car horns, and glimpsed the moving vehicles along the streets. This really did look like a busy place. "Traffic is still moving, even at this hour? Geez…guess the sewers are my only option out of here."

Mateo caught up, breathless from jogging. "Whew! That's that. This is the last time I'm smuggling a monster. I suppose you need to head off now, then?"

Randall nodded, still daunted by the city's lights. "Yeah. You never gave me that advice: How am I supposed to tell them Suzie is…I mean, what will they say when only I return?" Randall implored for guidance.

"I don't know. The truth is all you can tell."

"That doesn't help much, you know. You don't know about my past. After everything I've done, they'll never forgive me. Suzie is the only family Becca has…now she has no one."

Mateo had never heard any other names of the group, but this piece of news was saddening. He wasn't at all sure what else to say.

Randall adjusted the backpack straps and prepared to leave. "Never mind, Mateo. I'll figure this out, somehow. Thanks for the help. Just keep all this to yourself, alright? You never met me, understand?"

"Don't worry, your secret is safe. Though I think I'll try my hand at monster tracking in Scotland. I hear some of the lakes have had supposed sightings, lately."

"Good luck in the search, I guess," Randall sniggered, bemused. "Goodbye, then. Gracias por tu ayuda."

"De nada. Adios y buena suerte!" Mateo turned back to return to the freighter as the monster stealthily dashed out of sight. The darkness of night hid the purple lizard from view and in an instant, he had disappeared.

The allies would likely never meet again, but Randall now had a new opinion on humans. Not all of them were lunatics bent on capturing monsters for study. "I guess they're not all bad. Wonder if Bernard will ever believe it. He's been banished so long and never come across anyone friendly. This'll be quite the story to tell."

He thought about the group while scuttling along the alleys. Maybe the long trip home was a good thing—there would be time to think about how to tell them. Yet he also wanted to get there as quickly as possible. He hated admitting it, but his friends were more like family, now. As much as he dreaded the reunion, a part of him really wanted to see them soon.

The first step onto New York grounds made Suzie's death less of a dream and more of a reality. Her absence was starting to hit hard…she should be here, too, marveling the city lights.

A terrible, selfish thought occurred. "I could always just _not_ go back. They'd think we're still lost, but alive—no! I can't do that! That's the old me talking…" He ducked into another alley to allow a wave of cars to drive by. The nearest manhole cover was across the next street; the passageway out of this city. He eyed it with steely resolve. "I have to go back. Suzie would want me to and Mateo's right. I can't just leave everyone in the dark."

…

Meanwhile, in Louisiana, mornings were being accompanied by a touch of frost. The nights were often very cold, so a fire was always kept burning to keep the campsite warm and welcoming. But the days were mild enough and the group was in high spirits. Perhaps it had something to do with the holidays, but a happy mood had spread around the camp. Bernard could often be heard humming out-of-tune Christmas carols while doing chores. Naomi, always the complainer, didn't have quite as much to criticize about the disagreeable swamp. Even Becca was on the cheerful side.

The absence of the missing monsters of the group had been very hard on her; she was even beginning to miss Randall a little. She still worried about them, and one day confided to Bernard. "…and it's December already, Bernard. Do you think they'll make it in time for Christmas? I mean—Suzie and I just spent our birthdays without each other for the first time ever, and that was hard enough. I can't imagine—"

"Becca, you need to stop doing this to yourself," Bernard put down the axe and carried a fresh armload of firewood back toward camp. "Wherever they are, I know they're doing just fine."

He stated it so clearly and collectively that Becca's mind was put more at ease. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Sorry; I can't help it if I'm antsy! This is my only sister we're talking about, here."

Bernard chuckled. "Randall will look after her. I know they'll find a way back. Now, no more down talk, Becca. Why don't you go see what's keeping Naomi? She should be back with a fresh kill by now."

"I'm on it. Geez, that woman is the worst hunter ever. If it were her job every day, we'd all starve to death!"

"Well, her archery is improving and she needs to practice hunting. If the authorities decide not to lift our banishments, Naomi will have to keep it up indefinitely."

"What the hell? I thought you said no down talk? Don't let her hear you say that, or you'll be next for target practice." Becca grabbed her shotgun and headed out into the swamp.

The group was focused on catching a good meal today, for tonight their allies from the Monster World would be dropping by. It had been over a week since the last update on the banishment issues, as well as Chester Duffy's trial. Everyone was anxious to know what punishment he would receive for deliberately breaking up the group. Becca in particular held a grudge towards him, despite having never even met. Fungus was going to be coming into the swamp, along with Nicholas and Samuel, who would possibly bring along his father as well. Zachariah Boggs was reportedly just as stubborn as his sons and was extremely reluctant to venture through a door. Sam had been trying to talk him into coming for quite some time.

As Becca waded through the chilly, shallow water, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. "Humph…Randall doesn't know how lucky he is. His whole family can just drop by whenever they feel like it! And Nicholas comes through to see Bernard all the time, now. One of Naomi's folks will probably show up sooner or later…" She sighed miserably.

She tried to focus and keep a lookout for predators. As she marched along, she noticed a pair of sluggish alligator eyes peering up over the water's surface. She took aim and fired; the shot missed by a millimeter and the reptile hissed as it was scared off.

Becca cursed herself for being so distraught. "Thank you for nothing, Randall, wherever you are. I can't even shoot straight! And Suzie, what were you thinking, volunteering to join in that supply raid? Sure, you got the medicine to come to us in the end, but still…wherever you guys are, just hurry up and get back here…I miss you." She spoke the words in a whisper. No one was around to hear them, but she still didn't want to take chances. She had a tough image to maintain.

…

The party of visitors was no larger than usual, with only Nicholas, Fungus, and Samuel coming. That door on the outskirts of New Orleans was becoming a frequently used portal, now. Baboso Goretega, as usual, would be monitoring it from the other side. He, too, wanted to visit the gang, but he was not fast, a poor hider, and knew how to work the station best. It made more sense if he stayed behind.

Zachariah Boggs ended up not coming, despite Sam's efforts to convince him. It was a bit of a disappointment for the outcasts; they had been curious about Randall's star-scientist father for ages and had hoped to meet him. The whole party relaxed around the fire, eating a meal of freshly caught birds while Sam explained.

"I tried my best, but Dad made up a bunch of excuses," Sam said to them all. "Said he was busy with work, charting some new stars his team just discovered. I'm pretty sure he's just nervous about coming out here, though, but you'll meet him eventually."

"He works as an astrophysicist, doesn't he? That must keep him busy." said Naomi.

"Yep. He's a bit of a workaholic, too. I'll try again later to convince him to come. In the meantime, he can keep an eye on Rex and look through giant telescopes at the same time."

"You left your boy with him before coming out here?" Bernard raised an eyebrow. "Isn't having a hyper-active four-year-old in an observatory a bad idea?"

"Um…probably? Didn't think that through. But my father is good at keeping him in check. I'm sure it'll be fine…so long as Rex doesn't disappear to pull those annoying pranks of his. A lot of things end up breaking when he does."

Sam entertained them all with a few stories of his mischievous son, and soon, the party launched into more important matters. The allies told of how the CDA was still investigating the case of Chester Duffy. The furry little sasquatch had been laid off work, and was in a heap of trouble. Every scream and laugh factory was voicing their opinions on the matter of his trial and it was making headlines everywhere. Fungus was the manager of a laugh floor and friends with the CEO of Monsters, Inc.; because of this, he was kept well-informed. "Buy the looks of it a final sentence should be made in the spring."

" _Spring_? We have to wait that long?" Naomi burst out.

"I'm afraid so…oh, here. This is for you. A letter from a Miranda Jackson."

"From my mother! Thanks!" she happily snatched the paper from his hands and went to sit on another log to read it in privacy.

Samuel smiled. "With all this chaos, things are finally coming together again. If it works out, you all can come back. That is, if those other two show up. Wonder what's taking them so long…"

"Hey! Watch it; one of those two is my little sister." said Becca, taking the comment personally.

"And one is my little brother. It may not sound like it, but I'm very worried about them, too. Try to look at the big picture, though. Randy is always a resourceful one—a bit too over-confident, I think, but he always finds a way out of a jam."

"If he's the resourceful one, what does that make you?"

"Randy would say I'm the 'know-it-all who can't keep his mouth shut.'"

Privately, Becca agreed with the statement. Sam was nice enough, but he really was a bit of a know-it-all. Bernard and Nicholas were chatting on the other side of the fire, so she went on asking questions. "Fungus, do you know if the authorities seized my house? It'd be good if I had a place to actually go home to."

Fungus flinched, still a little scared of her. "Oh—um, I'm not sure. B-but I can find out for you in no time."

"Try not to fret too much," advised Sam. "A know-it-all I may be, but I'm a good listener, and I can tell you're extremely worried about everything that's happening. Too much anxiety only makes things seem all the more grim, you know."

"Yes, I know, it's just…hard." Becca hesitated. He had a point. Everyone had been telling her the same thing all this time. She glanced around the campsite; Bernard was talking happily with his son, both of them looking over-the-moon joyous. Naomi was smiling peacefully, totally absorbed in the letter from her mother. With Christmas coming up, the happy mood would grow even more so.

Becca confessed to Fungus and Samuel. "You two are right about one thing. I'll admit things are starting to look up." She smiled, something she hadn't done for ages.

 **Little does she know Suzie isn't going to be coming back. :( Pretty soon Randall will have to break the news not only to Becca, but to everyone.**

 **And yes, I am planning a sequel to this tale. (SEQUEL! I'm so excited!) It won't be as long as this, and more of a drama-type story. I've been wanting to write it for so long, and I'm finally going to do it! Woo hoo! But more on that later. We're in the final arch of this, and almost to the end. Hope you're enjoying it! Next part will be up tomorrow!**

 **Google Translate to the rescue again;**

 _Que estas haciendo aqui?-_ What are you doing here?

 _Hola de nuevo-_ Hello again

 _gracias por tu ayuda-_ thank you for your help

 _de nada-_ you're welcome

 _Adios y buena suerte-_ Goodbye and good luck


	33. A Show of Loyalty

**Here we go. A quick montage of Randall travelling back to the others, before delivering the news of Suzie's death. Enjoy!**

Chapter Thirty-Two: A Show of Loyalty

Randall celebrated Christmas and New Year's alone. He managed to escape New York and hike out into a secluded wood in Pennsylvania. For the first little while, he traveled quickly and only stopped to sleep or hunt. Many of the towns he passed through were decked out in colored lights and decorations for the holidays. Often he passed a bakery from which wafts of delicious smells came. Fruitcake, cinnamon rolls, and Christmas cookies were regular things these days. He sneaked in to steal something once in a while; it was a rare treat to finally come across anything sweet, or anything he hadn't hunting down and killed. He would've enjoyed the holidays more if only he weren't so depressed. The incredulous guilt over Suzie's death was so deep that it felt like he was being eaten alive from the inside. She should be here, not missing out on all the holiday lights, food, and the snowy landscape. Randall was sure she would enjoy the snow more than he did.

He was travelling through a part of the country with frequent snowfall. This year was a mild winter, so it would've been worse, but he hated it all the same. Having to traipse through a foot of the biting cold stuff was torture, so he took to the trees whenever possible. His energy was always low; the sun seldom shone, so there wasn't' much to keep him going besides willpower. Thoughts of the wild and warmer swamps of the south occupied his thoughts every day.

While on the move through the treetops of the wood one day, another light snowfall began. Randall wrapped another scarf over his head like a hood and muffler, but it did little to help. The layers of jackets were feeling very worn out and thin by this point. "Grr…I hate this, I hate this, I hate this! I gotta build a fire soon. I cannot stand this much longer!" For ages, he had been complaining like this. Talking to no one was a way to fill the eerie silence as the snow fell.

It would take a long time to return to the others. He estimated he'd be back by February at the rate he was moving. "I'll need the time anyway…" He said aloud, dusting more snow off a thick branch to rest for a minute. "I still have to work out how to tell them…" he wondered. Bernard was very kind to the girls and treated them like his own daughters. Naomi had become very good friends with the McKeen sisters, even though arguments broke out between them often. Telling Becca would be the worst…what would she say? What if she never forgave him for this? Knowing her, she probably wouldn't.

A thousand different scenarios floated through Randall's head. He became saddened at the prospect.

Not for the first time, he considered _never_ returning; just finding his own way again, going back to a solitary banishment like before. Forget all about the allies in the Monster World…he cursed himself for thinking such things. "No!" That thought sounded like the old Randall whom everyone hated. He still vowed to change. "I _said_ I would return and tell them. There are still plenty of weeks to plan…well, if all this damn snow doesn't freeze me first. Geez, I wish I were warm-blooded…" He curled up in a ball on the branch and glared at the falling flakes. "Actually, freezing to death sounds a lot better than telling them Suzie is gone."

…

He kept to the most isolated routes, going through woods and countryside wilderness. The time spent travelling was a numbing, mindless experience due to his sour mood. Nowadays he only entered a town when he ran short of matches, sharp knives, and other tools. For many weeks he kept on the move. The further south he went, the warmer the weather became. Soon there was less need of the jackets and scarves, so he tore them apart to sew a flimsy tent. (Not fully waterproof, but it kept him somewhat dry in the rain.) When he crossed into Georgia, there was not a trace of snow on the ground; a much easier terrain to walk on and far less torturous to his reptilian nature. But this also meant Louisiana was coming up fast.

Again and again, he rehearsed scenarios on how to tell the group. None of them played out well in his head. He was growing more anxious every day.

…

It was well into February when New Orleans came in sight. It lay out before him glowing with lights in the evening twilight; a most wonderful place full of music and famous fine food for which Randall had a deep appreciation for. Even from this lookout high atop a hill, he heard wafts of lively jazz music. Crowds of people could be heard cheering and laughing to their heart's content.

Randall frowned in puzzlement. The pace was unusually animated for this time of day, even for New Orleans. It worried him slightly. To reach the swamps, he would have to go directly through the city itself, or travel around by a longer route. Carrying the backpacks and staying invisible would be tough, so it looked like the latter option was the wise one. But then he recalled something. "Hold on. This is Mardi Gras! Why didn't I remember?" he suddenly clued in. He began descending the hill without hesitation. "Well, that makes things a lot easier."

Mardi Gras season changed everything. There were bound to be people in costume on the streets, the perfect time to make use of his camouflaging power. He made his scales a realistic replica of an alligator skin and made some of his multiple limbs invisible. At the very edge of the city, he stole a colorful hat and a couple of Mardi Gras beads to better hide his monstrous nature. The backpacks were very dirty with a couple of holes and the gear and tools didn't quite match the disguise, but that really couldn't be helped. Hopefully, anyone who saw would only think he was a person in costume.

This would be one of those rare times when he could wander around without worry. With luck, that is. "OK, fingers are crossed…let's go." He straightened up upon realizing what he was doing. "Ugh. Stop talking to yourself, Randall! That old habit has got to stop."

He passed a couple of people through the outskirts of the city, still keeping his distance. It never hurt to be too careful. Randall was always a bit of a risk-taker when it came to missions. But even he knew when to draw the line. "Just focus, Randy. Go in, go through, and get out…no stopping to watch a parade. What a waste of time that would be…"

He reconsidered upon hearing the strains of music and cheering crowds. The smell of delicious southern dishes made his stomach growl; it had been some time since he had eaten a worth-while meal…Randall reached the end of the street and peered around the corner. The city was getting more packed the further he went in. People were running toward the music as if drawn by a spell. A lot of them wore purple, green and gold beads and colorful attire. Spying out into another street, Randall noticed a few parade performers dressed as animals. He exhaled. _Good. I should blend in without trouble._ He set out on this way nonchalantly.

The streets were so happy and full of life! It was getting hard to focus on where he needed to go.

A couple of random strangers pulled him into ridiculous dances or games. It was moments like this when he had to try not to panic. Randall quickly humored them, who all marveled at his superb 'gator costume,' before slipping away. One food truck was giving away free bowls of gumbo that were too tempting to resist. The stew was perfectly spiced and with whole shrimp mixed in, Randall's mood was better than it had been in a long time.

There were too many distractions: He paused to listen to a band on his way through a city square. A parade could be heard underway on the next corner. All the time, the music kept on playing into the twilight.

The contagious, happy atmosphere was having an effect on the monster. The impending reunion with his friends didn't seem quite as daunting now. "Well…maybe just one parade…" he decided. The lights glowing in the dim twilight made the festivities all the more exciting. What could it hurt to have just a bit of fun?

Still, in the back of his mind, there was a pang of remorse. He wished Suzie could be around to enjoy all this. It was too exciting to pass up. When this was over, there was still the problem of finding and telling the others.

…

Later, he crossed the river via traversing through the intertwining branches overhead. The gator population was becoming active again with winter's end in sight, and he didn't feel like fighting them off just now. He leapt down to solid grass and turned around to gaze at the distant city lights one last time. He had watched the parade longer than planned. Maybe it was just to delay the inevitable…

He was back.

The swamps spread out all around, as unchanged as he remembered. The months and months of trying to get here—to get _home_ —were finally up. From France, to Spain, to the open sea, Iceland, New York and all through the eastern states…it was hard to comprehend, now that he put it in perspective. He took a minute to rest against a tree and think. His mood reverted to its worried state. He had gone about five miles into the swamp; the camp wasn't too far from here. Just a little bit further and he would find it.

"But then what? What do I say to them?...Augh! I should not have returned without her! Her being gone is the first thing they'll notice."

It was almost impossible tearing himself away from the riverbank. For one thing, the glowing fireflies buzzing around made for a peaceful spectacle. The calming nighttime scene was the only thing helping his nerves. Eventually he did manage to continue walking—but he walked as slow as possible to bide more time. He was dreading this meeting.

…

"…where are they?" Randall puzzled when he reached the site of the old camp. It was empty, but he knew the others couldn't have moved far. "That's just perfect. I come thousands of miles and no one's even around to say 'Hi.' Thanks a lot, you guys!" He didn't know that they had moved deeper into the swamp to find better shelter, but Randall still found this very annoying. He kept talking to himself. "Alright, I'll just do some tracking and find camp the hard way—"

"Randy?"

Startled, Randall instinctively disappeared in alarm. The backpacks and weapons looked bizarre hanging there in mid-air. The voice was one he recognized—he hadn't heard it in a long time, though. The owner of it stepped into the dark clearing.

"I can kind of see you there, you know."

Randall relaxed and slowly reappeared. It wasn't Bernard, Naomi, Becca, nor one of the allies from the Monster World…It was his brother.

Samuel was also staring in surprise. The pewter grey of his scales made him hard to see in the darkness. He looked exactly as Randall remembered: long purple-tipped fronds, four legs, two arms, the same annoying green-eyed inquisitive gaze—though the sleeve tattoo on his left arm was new. The eldest brother just stood there, as if Randall were some long-forgotten thing that had been found quite by accident.

Randall was also rendered speechless. He didn't enjoy being near his successful brother, who was too perfect and set too high standards for him to live up to. Out of all monsters to bump into, it was _Sam_?! Randall found his voice, but not much came out. "Wha-? How did _you_ -?"

"So you really are here! I'm not just hallucinating. Jeff, hurry up! It's Randall!" Sam called over his shoulder.

Another cry of astonishment arose as none other than Jeffery Fungus clambered into view. Before either of them could say anything, Randall held up all hands in protest. "Hold it, hold it. What is going on? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, that's a fine way to say 'hi' after so long," Samuel ignored the protests and promptly ran over to hug him. "Last time I saw you was, what, a few years ago? My God, we knew you'd turn up eventually! Look at you; what have you been doing to yourself?" He saw how tired he was, but also noticed all the scars—including the massive collection from the infected gunshot wound—and all of the lean muscle he had built up. Other than his grave, exhausted face, Randall was looking well.

"You came all this way?" Fungus marveled. "Wow. To tell the truth, I wasn't sure you would, Randall."

"Well, I did. Over four thousand miles, to be exact. Now, to business, Fungus. I thought only you, Goretega, and Nicholas Brennen were supposed to know about us! What's the idea bringing my _brother_ out here?" Randall turned to Sam and quickly asked. "Does Dad know you're out here?"

"Yes. And not just him."

Randall shot an intimidating glare at Fungus, who flinched. "Oh, wonderful. On top of my ruined reputation, the factory will think even less of me. How many know?"

"W—well…everyone."

"Define 'everyone.'"

"'Everyone' means the whole industry!" Sam put an arm around Randall's shoulder proudly. He was grinning, very happy to see him, and began steering out of the clearing. "We've got a lot of explaining to do, just wait 'till you learn about what the CDA is debating about—"

"Never mind all that," Randall maneuvered out of his brother's gasp. He didn't like all this hugging and was not in a tolerant mood. "No one's answered my question: what are you _doing_ out here?"

"Visiting," said Fungus. "Bernard, Becca and Naomi moved camp over that way. It's a little more sheltered there with the thicker trees. C'mon, they've been so worried! Becca was starting to think you and her sister would never…" he trailed off after a swift glance around. It then hit him like a thunderclap.

Finally, Sam and Fungus noticed that someone was missing. Not knowing what to comment, they looked at Randall expectantly. His shoulders went limp. He kept his eyes cast down, not wanting to explain. His brother sensed that something was terribly wrong. Fungus had gone very still with confusion.

Randall knew he had to speak up. The silence couldn't go on forever. "I—can't go to them; not yet…" He staggered over to a large tree root to sit down. Suddenly he felt sick. "After what happened to her, I don't think I can…"

"Why? What's happened?" Samuel questioned.

"Just listen, already. You too, Fungus. I don't want to explain this any more times than I have to…" Still not looked at them, he said firmly, "Suzie's dead."

So he told some of the story. It was difficult, like having to relive it all over again. He kept it more to the point, only telling of his and Suzie's stowaway onto the Spanish freighter and of the accident at sea which ended up killing her. Some details were left out, like Mateo's help and the brief episode of consciousness Suzie had had before she fell asleep. That last conversation was one thing Randall was haunted by and couldn't talk about just yet.

Sam, being the serious brainiac he was, remained quiet and solemn. Bit by bit, his expression altered to a pained look as he realized Randall was telling the truth. Fungus was an interrupter, butting in with questions or comments. He also kept pacing around in a panicky way, mumbling about how bad this news would be to deliver. When Randall finished, nobody said a word for several minutes. Only the crickets in the grass could be heard; a very pretty chorus, but not helping the mood whatsoever.

Sam was the first to speak. "How awful…all that determination to come back and to have it just _end_ like that…I'm so sorry, Randy."

Randall nodded, grateful that his brother understood, at least. "Now you see the big picture. The others are waiting for _two_ monsters to show up! Not just me…if one of us was meant to die, it should have been me."

Samuel said to Fungus. "Hey, Jeff, could you leave us alone for a minute?" He sensed this talk would be more effective if it was just him and his brother.

Fungus nodded and went out of earshot to wait. Although he was still slightly terrified of Randall Boggs, it was a shame seeing him like this. The ambitious, power-hungry, nasty Randall he remembered seemed to have faded out of existence. What a thing this would be to tell the other workers in the factory.

"Don't talk like that," Sam said, sitting down on the tree root beside him. "You came all this way; something good must come out of this."

"What could possibly be good about this? The others are more set on Suzie returning, anyway; they didn't even like me much to begin with and still don't."

"Actually, they've been missing you a lot. Even if you are a pain in the neck," said Sam. "Every time we come out here to visit, you're brought up somehow, especially by Becca. I suppose she trusted you with Suzie's care?"

Randall sighed. Unbelievably, he felt glad to have a familiar face around. It wasn't often he could talk to Sam without starting up an argument, or feeling jealous. With a hopeful heart, he asked for some advice. "I don't want them to know what happened to her. Should I tell them?"

"Yeah, you should. They have to know," said Sam honestly. "If you like, we'll go to the camp with you, but we're not going to do the talking."

"What? Can't you just—go and prepare them for the news? Drop a hint or something?"

"Sorry, but this is something you have to do yourself. After four thousand miles? Why come all that way just to turn back at the last minute? Besides, your friends will appreciate hearing it from you, not us."

"That doesn't mean they'll like it." The way Randall spoke these words was so weary that the elder sibling was startled. Already he could tell this was not the same monster he remembered. This reunion was not what he expected…Randall seemed genuinely concerned for his friends. The old Randall would not have even bothered to return to face them. Sam was amazed at this determination and show of loyalty.

Randall took a deep breath and stood. "OK. Let's go get this over with. You said the new camp is close, right?" Sam pointed the way, ushered Fungus to join, and they all started off on the short walk. Randall then confessed something else they didn't expect. "Never thought I'd say this, but it's good to see you two again."

…

The campsite was well-lived in by the looks of it: knickknacks collected from town were strewn everywhere, a garden of vegetables had been started, and the smell of a fishy dinner hung in the air. Weather in Louisiana was already warming up for spring, and so hammocks hung between some trees in place of the tents. The scene would've been very welcoming under any other circumstances.

Naomi was the first to spot the entourage. "Randall?" She squinted, not quite believing what she was seeing. She then promptly dashed over, her face lit up with a joyous smile. "Randall! You're back! Oh my goodness, you guys are finally back!" she half-yelled in excitement. "I've been counting the days and…uh…" Upon noticing an absence, she froze. Randall felt the urge to shrink away into thin air again. He was glad to see her too, but didn't utter a word.

Bernard and Becca were over by the fire, finishing a dinner of fish seasoned with freshly picked herbs. Bernard froze with a mouthful of fish upon seeing Randall. So did Becca. They snapped out of their stupors and greeted him happily, running up to crush him in a group hug. (Bernard's great strength threatened to crack a few bones.) Even Becca was all smiles, and full of relief at his return. But Naomi's confusion quickly spread throughout the campsite.

With Suzie's absence more apparent than ever, tough Becca suddenly had a fearful look on her face. She whipped her head in every direction, her feelers catching the firelight, looking for her sister.

Randall stayed close to Sam and Fungus for support as he announced with a pounding heart, "You'd better all sit down. There's…uh…something I've got to tell you."

Right away, Bernard suspected something bad. "Where is Suzie? And please tell me it's not what I think it is. Tell me you didn't lose her on the way back?"

"No, it's not that. It's…worse than that." Randall mustered. "She's gone."

Becca and Naomi shrank back wordlessly.

This time, he told the long story in its entirety. From their first days lost in French countryside, to the long trek into the Icelandic highlands, not a detail was left out. He even told of Mateo, and of how the man had offered to help Suzie, but by then, it was too late. Randall avoided looking at their faces as much as possible. He expected Becca to scream, to cry, to belittle him, to do _something_!...But she only sat there on the log. Her eyes were wide, and she had gone totally numb from the news. Her sister had been dead for months and she didn't even know it. It was too much to take in. So she just sat there, staring at nothing; there wasn't a hint of emotion on her face.

Bernard, Naomi, Fungus and Sam wanted to talk about Suzie. Wanted to learn every detail about what had happened, so the news sank in more and more. Bernard was deeply grieved. Naomi wasn't afraid to let everyone see her tears. When it neared the time for Fungus to lead Sam back to the factory, the group had become the exact opposite of the blissful reunion they had anticipated.

Samuel tried to offer a few words before leaving. He pulled Randall aside. "Don't run off on them. Everything will turn out OK, you'll see."

"Sam, I seriously doubt that." Randall replied.

"No really, it will! Just keep talking to Becca," Sam advised. "This was the death of her only family. Think about what she has to go through! It won't be easy to cope with, and she really needs the help right now."

Randall looked over a Becca, who was barely responding to the others' attempts to comfort her. It was like she had turned into a statue. He sighed and turned back to Sam. "Do you really have to leave right now? You're the shrink, why can't you talk to her?"

"Fungus and I have already been out here for too long, and the closet door can't be kept online for forever. And Becca is your friend, you have to help her through this, and you were the last one to be with her sister before she…you know, passed away." Sam saw his words weren't helping matters and sighed. "OK, listen. Next time I come out here, I'll talk to Becca if you want me too. But everyone copes with grief differently. For someone like her, I think it'll be a good idea if you spoke to her about it first."

Randall went stiff, but nodded.

As Samuel and Fungus turned to leave, Sam quickly added, "Oh, and I'm going to tell Dad you're back. He's been asking about you for months. Is there anything you want to say to him?"

Randall went even stiffer. He hadn't spoken to his father in an even longer time then his brother. "Um…just tell him—Hi."

"That's it? Just 'hi?' After all this time, I would've expected a longer message then that." Sam waved goodbye as he left with Fungus in tow, saying they would return in a few days to see how to group was faring. Randall didn't wave back; only crossed his arms anxiously and refraining from becoming invisible.

He stepped back into the campsite to face a pitiful scene. Bernard was giving the crying Naomi a fatherly hug to offer a shred of comfort. She hadn't taken the news well at all. Nearby, Becca continued to sit unemotionally on the log. Seeing her like this was worse than her being angry. The shock of it all was too much to bear.

Remembering Sam's words, Randall sat down near her with wariness. He expected some sort of reaction…any outburst, whether it be depressed or infuriated, would be better than this. She barely acknowledged him when he spoke. "Becca? I'm so sorry…I didn't mean for this to happen. Honest, I didn't."

She didn't look at him. She didn't raise her blank gaze at all, only stared at the grass without a trace of emotion. How was it possible to even comprehend such a tragedy? The numbness she felt was like a hollow pit and she couldn't speak at all right now.

Randall hung his head. The reunion with Sam and Fungus had been the only good thing about coming back. He sighed and decided to leave her alone. He doubted she would ever speak to him again. _She'll never even_ look _at me again after this._ _Once the shock wears off, I just know she's going to snap. It's only a matter of time._

The crackle of the fire, the crickets, and an occasional sob from Naomi or Bernard were the only things to be heard in the campsite. It was a terrible evening.

Randall didn't know it, but in a way the others were glad to have him back. Coming all those thousands of miles, even after losing Suzie, proved something. It proved he was loyal, and that he had indeed changed for the better. It was good to be together again. Although the group's reunion was not a happy one.

 **Next up: The group learns they may be able to return to the Monster World, and Becca breaks out of her state of shock.**


	34. Reconciliation

**When Randall finally has a heart-to-heart talk with Becca about her sister's death. Plus, the group learns if they are allowed to return home. (hint: of course they are!)**

Chapter Thirty-Three: Reconciliation

Everyone had trouble sleeping that night. Not sure if he was welcome, Randall chose a branch higher off the ground than normal, so as to be out of the way. The trees were still his sleeping quarters of choice; it was a lot safer than being at the same level as alligators, bears and snakes. Besides, from up here, there was a marvelous view of the star-lit sky. Another reason he retreated up here was to escape the gloomy atmosphere below.

He could hear Bernard trying to comfort the girls. He was struggling to accept the news himself, and Naomi was still sobbing softly, unable to comprehend it. The thought of sweet, cheerful, bookworm jokester Suzie being _dead_ …it was unbearable.

Randall peered through the moss and leaves to see Bernard with an arm around Naomi in a consoling hug. Every so often, the man said something to Becca, so quietly that Randall couldn't hear what was being said. Becca was making no response. She continued to sit there, like a bump on the log. The campfire illuminated her features, wide-eyed and in severe shock.

Randall remembered Samuel's advice and resolved to try and get her to speak soon; within the next few days, for sure. _I'm responsible for all of this…I've got to start fixing it._ He eventually fell asleep on the branch. It was very worrying to see the outspoken, tough, no-nonsense Becca have no reaction at all; it was almost frightening.

…

"Where are Becca and Naomi?" Randall climbed down to breakfast to find neither of them in camp.

"They went out to the marsh early," Bernard had a bowl of mashed bugs and plants, poking it around with a spoon and not really eating it. "I think the girls need some time alone. They've become as close as sisters over the last few months. Becca still hasn't said a word; barely slept at all…I think the shock is getting to her."

Randall slumped onto a log miserably.

"I wouldn't try and talk to her just yet, it that's what you're planning."

"But I've got to—"

"Not yet. If I know her, she'll come to you when she's ready."

"That doesn't sound encouraging. Becca is more the shouting type." Randall helped himself to some of the plant-bug porridge.

Bernard went on. "Over four thousand miles…that's such a long way, Randall. I'm sure Fungus and Baboso would have found you two if you had just stayed in one place."

"We didn't even know if anyone would look for us. And Suzie was so eager to get going."

Bernard reconsidered his words. "Sorry. I didn't mean to sound accusing. It's not easy, losing someone…when my wife died, it took a long time to heal. But I had Nicholas—he was very little then—and others were there to help us through it. That's what we all need to do for Becca."

Without really realizing it, Randall avoided the others. That day, the group tried to get back into normal routines of chores, finding enough to eat for the day, and using leisure time for games and relaxing. Randall jumped at the chance to go out and hunt, just so he could be away from everyone. He wrestled and strangled a good-sized alligator, as if a substantial meal would make up for everything. "Yeah, right. As if one feast will earn forgiveness around here…" he thought aloud while dragging the beast through the swamp.

When he got back, Naomi and Becca were there. Naomi walked up to him; her eyes were bloodshot and she looked tremendously sad and tired. Nevertheless, she greeted him whole-heartedly. "Hi…It's good to have you back, you know. Not from the hunt, from the continental-sized detour trip. We really missed you."

Bernard looked up from mending a hammock. "Don't you have a birthday coming up, Randall?"

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working." He tossed the gator onto the grass and searched about for a knife sharp enough to butcher it. He found the subject hard to bring up, but he asked them. "So…do you want to talk about Suzie?"

Naomi nodded with a sniffle. "Yeah. I think I can. Just save 'butchering the gator' for later, though. I know it's food, but still, it's disgusting! I'm a better hunter now, but I still can't do anything so barbaric."

Without a word, Becca got up and left. The others all considered going after her. But in the end, they thought it wiser to just wait until she was ready. Randall watched her go with regret. _This is not going to be easy…_

…

That fun evening at Mardi Gras he fought to forget. The music, dancing, parades and delicious food seemed like a selfish thing to think about, with everyone so depressed. In the days that followed, Becca promptly avoided not only him, but everyone. She spent hours on hunting exertions, only to return empty-handed. At mealtimes, she ate quickly and excused herself from the campsite without a word. When there were no chores to do, and the monsters were free to enjoy leisureliness, she stayed out by the riverbank or out in the marsh to be alone. The others weren't sure when she was going to speak or if she would ever come around at all.

"I don't like this at all," Naomi worried one breakfast. "She's getting gloomier every second, Randall. I think you'd better try and get some words out of her. She's barely spoken in days."

"I dunno; that doesn't seem like a wise choice. You know what she's like." Randall disagreed, knowing how her temper always took over. But his patience was beginning to wear out, and he wasn't that patient to begin with.

When he left Iceland, a single book had been left behind at Suzie's grave. There were no flowers to be found out there; with Suzie's love of reading, it seemed like a fitting tribute. Everything else—her jacket, backpack, and all other belongings—he had taken with him. These he shared with Bernard and Naomi, telling of how he had stolen the science-fiction novels from a bookstore for her birthday and of how happy they had made her. He also told of their time backpacking through the beautiful Spanish cliffs and of how Suzie had found antibiotics to treat his then-gruesome gunshot wound. From day one of their unexpected detour, she had grown more independent.

Randall focused on happier times to retell the group. They helped to cure the melancholy mood and were having marvelous effects on Bernard and Naomi. At times, they even laughed at the re-telling of Suzie's antics aboard the freight ship.

"Of course she would come up 'hide and seek' in a cargo hold." Bernard remarked after the tale. "So what did you say to that?"

Randall smirked and turned pink with embarrassment. "I said, 'Sure, why not?' It wasn't as if there was anything better to do. A maze of crates is a pretty boring hideout. When we weren't hiding from the crew, she drove me insane with those stupid jokes."

"Like what?"

"Let's see…like, 'What do you call cheese that is not yours?...nacho cheese.'" Randall gave a reluctant onslaught of corny jokes, all of them made up by Suzie. Some made Naomi laugh, which was a good sign. By remembering all the good times, the group would sooner or later heal from the loss.

…

It was yet another few days later when Becca finally broke out of her shocked stupor. It happened early one morning, when Randall was down at the riverbank alone, washing his face.

That morning was a glorious one. The sun shone with extra hints of gold, warming up the swamp to ease it into an early spring. The sight of rays cutting through the moss-draped trees was so nice that Randall could almost call it cheerful. He was actually feeling happy, what with the sunshine and life steadily going back to normal. He splashed water on his face to wake himself up. _Samuel and Fungus should've come to see us by now. I wonder what's keeping them?_ That's when he heard footsteps over the sound of the noisy crickets.

He looked up to see Becca marching toward him on the warpath. She was frowning slightly, lips pressed together in a tight line; the pleasant mood was instantly shattered. _Oh boy, here we go…_ he grimaced and resisted the urge to blend in with the scenery.

Becca said nothing. She just marched up, full of determination, and punched him square across the jaw! She stammered, not even knowing where to begin. "You—you—how _dare_ you return without her! Oh, I wish you had stayed in France! You two would still be gone, but you'd both be _alive_ , at least!"

The impact of the punch had caused him to take on the same forest green, gold-speckled palette as her. He shook it off with a frown and let her rant on.

She fumed. "Why couldn't…I dunno, why couldn't that Spanish guy help? What was his name—Mateo? He could have gone off to find a doctor, or something. But you just let her die!"

"There was nothing he could've done. Suzie's skull was so broken that it caved in the entire back of her head. There wasn't enough time—"

"Did you even _try_ to save her?!" Becca pleaded. Her anger was abruptly changing to great sorrow.

"Yes. I tried…There was a hospital in the town, and I searched everywhere…" He explained in great detail of how he broke in to search for things that would treat Suzie's head. "…But there was nothing much of any use. Setting a skull fracture is complicated stuff. That morning, I _was_ going to go find Mateo; see if he could find some surgeon who could keep quiet about monsters. But by then, it was too late."

"She was gone?"

"Yes. She died in her sleep."

The pained look on Becca's face was the saddest Randall had ever seen. She was extremely strong-willed and refused to cry in front of anyone—but he noticed her eyes getting wet. Randall took the silent stare as a cue to say something. _Boy, I'd better be careful what I say. The last thing I want to make things worse._ "I tried to save her. Believe me, I tried. She was ready to fight like hell to get back here. The accident was the last thing we expected."

Becca crossed her arms, but was finding it hard to maintain her tough exterior. She sighed hopelessly. "After she fell, did she ever wake up again? Or was that it?"

"No, she woke up for a while when we were in the cliffs…" Randall told her about the brief conversation. "Suzie was more worried about keeping you waiting, rather than the skull fracture itself. Before I left for the hospital, I stayed with her until she was asleep. The next morning, I just couldn't wake her up."

"So you left her in Iceland…Why couldn't you bring her back to us, even after she was gone? Couldn't you have—cremated her or something?"

"She died two months ago. I couldn't very well bring her body—" his eyes widened regretfully. _Wrong thing to say._ He quickly re-worded his thoughts. "I wanted to bring her ashes back, but Iceland is a barren place in the middle of winter. There wasn't much to build even a small fire. So I made a grave for her in the highlands."

There was a pause as Becca digested the words. "With a view?"

"Yes. The spot is a prime place for the Northern Lights."

It was hard to tell what was going on in Becca's head. Knowing that Suzie had died peacefully in her sleep seemed to put her more at ease. The more Randall talked about it, the calmer she seemed to become. Like him, she didn't like anyone to see her upset. Her face failed to keep its harsh exterior, and there was no denying the sadness in her eyes. "Suzie had a bit of a crush on you, you know," She said out of the blue. "She never told me outright, but I could tell. My sister is decent with secret-keeping, but I know her too well."

"Huh?" Randall was surprised. That was unexpected. He wondered if that was what Suzie had tried to tell him back in Iceland, but he had but her off mid-sentence. "Thanks, now I feel even worse about all this."

"Sorry…"

"Know that I looked after her for as long as I could, right up until the end." Randall solemnly swore, feeling quite unlike himself for speaking so guiltily. "I'm sorry she's gone." When Becca nodded, he took that as a sign that she understood.

There was an uncomfortable, miserable silence between them. Becca wanted to talk further about her sister, so for a while, the two monsters sat there at the edge of the river. Becca had brought along her trusty shotgun and took random scare shots at any gator that swam too close. (Although Randall secretly wondered if she had originally planned to shoot him, instead.)

"Do you think the CDA will ever let us go back?" she asked after they had reconciled, and her tough exterior began to return.

Randall shrugged. He hadn't had time to give much thought on the matter. "Well, I don't object to the possibility."

"'Don't object?' What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Sure, I'd love to go back to a place where we fit in and belong. But if we don't, that's fine, too," Randall noticed how much the sun had risen, bathing the swamp in a bright, early spring light. The Louisiana swamps were starting to feel like a second home. "I've gotten used to this place. Life out here can be pretty exciting, so I have no complaints, either way. As long as you guys don't kick me out of the group again."

"Hey, we were mad at you and you totally deserved it!" Becca almost smiled in a joking sort of way. She sighed. "Stupid CDA. I wish they'd hurry up! Those trials are taking forever. The outcome could change everything…well, no matter what they decide, I have a favor to ask."

"Yes?"

"Will you take us to Iceland someday? Whether we're forever banished, or cleared to return to the Monster World, I want to go and see my sister."

Randall nodded. The fact that Becca's only family was now gone still burned into his mind. It would haunt him forever. No one of the little band of survivors would recover from it very quickly. Of course he would take them to her final resting place. _How we'll accomplish that, I have no idea…I'd rather not stow away on a cargo ship again._

The two of them got up to return to camp for some breakfast. Becca was quiet; the cold, numb feeling of loss was still there; some tears threatened to roll down her gold-speckled cheeks, but she kept them in check. She had made up her mind to be strong. Suzie had died safe in her sleep, and all through the adventure across Europe, she had been happy. Randall had watched over her during that time. All of these things were enough to put Becca's heart at ease.

Although she had not said so in words, Randall was forgiven.

…

Life slowly returned to its normal routine in the time that followed. Having one less monster was a rough change. Becca began spending a lot of time with Naomi, trying to fill the sisterly void that Suzie had left behind. She often confided her sadness to Bernard, who was happy to fulfill that fatherly role. As for Randall, she clashed with just like the old days, though not as much as before. In general, she was not usually the forgiving type. But Randall was truly sincere, sorry, and having just as hard of a time dealing with the loss. So she'd make an exception.

Spring arrived in full, bringing up more greenery and more wildlife, which meant more variety of food to eat. The days were filled with hunting and foraging, and a warmer sun. The swamp was really coming to life again. The outcasts were determined not to let Suzie's death break them apart. They spent lots of time together, whether it was a simple mealtime, or playing silly games in an attempt to remember what it was like to laugh. They even poured over Suzie's collection of sci-fi novels and joke books.

With each passing day, everyone was happier. Slowly but surely, the group began to heal.

…

Along with the arrival of spring came birthdays and banishment anniversaries for Bernard and Randall, giving the group something to look forward to and celebrate. Gifts consisted of homemade tools, games, or things found in the city that were useful or hard to come across. Usually they were simple things people had thrown away; like an old chess set, or a hat with a hole in it. Still, they made pretty good gifts for a group of monsters who couldn't very well go out and shop for presents.

Randall had taken to improving his crossbow designs, and was studying out of the French and Spanish dictionaries in an effort to keep his mind busy. He was so preoccupied that he nearly forgot about celebratory events and scrambled to pitch in with gift-finding. He resolved to head to the nearest bakery to try and steal something fit for a party.

Bernard was not the most enthusiastic about his birthday. The day came sometime after his thirteenth anniversary of living in the Human World. Immediately after gift-giving—which included a box of fishing lures the others had banded together to make—he said glumly, "I'm turning fifty-eight today. That's almost sixty! Really feeling old, now…"

"Fifty-eight is not old—" Naomi began.

"It's kind of old."

"Is not!" she turned away from the vanilla cake Randall had stolen from a bakery and carried back all the way from town. "Mother taught me that age is just a number, and you're only as old as you feel. Just look at me! I'm thirty, but certainly don't feel like it. Or act like it, either. So, Bernard, how do you feel?"

"Almost sixty."

Becca and Randall found this response hilarious. Wanting to raise some spirits, Randall pointed out, "Look at all that's happened in those years. In the past thirteen alone, you've travelled across the whole continent and probably seen more than the rest of us put together. It's quite a feat, if you think about it. How many monsters have done that?"

Bernard shrugged. "Not many, I suppose…"

"And I bet the rest of those fifty-eight years were just as good."

The statement seemed to cheer up Bernard. He admitted. "Well…I guess they've been pretty good years…the first ones out here were definitely memorable, though not in a good way. I don't think I ever told you, but the authorities sent me through a door that led to Brazil, in the Amazon. Whew! Most dangerous days ever."

"Why am I only learning this now?" Randall perked up, interested. "What happened?"

Bernard began telling of his time in South America, which offered exciting true stories of fighting for survival against jaguars and giant spiders in the rainforest. This fascinated everyone, and was a good way to end the birthday party.

Randall's own birthday came around shortly after, his twenty-ninth, and was met with lots of over-enthusiasm; partly to make up for the horrid events as of late. He found himself very unused to all the positive attention, but enjoyed it nonetheless. It was a welcome change. His banishment anniversary was somewhat different from the last one, as well. Last time, it was more of a morose occasion—after all, he had been _literally_ tossed through a door without warning. But out here with his friends, the day was viewed as a great achievement.

"What's the point in being miserable about it?" Becca proclaimed when he brought up this thought. "Sure, life out here really sucks sometimes, but it's better to be grateful for each day spent alive."

"That sounds like something Suzie would say."

"It—was…" Becca paused. She recovered from the flashback. "But seriously, be glad for each anniversary. Celebrating it makes the bad times suck a lot less."

Their allies appeared more and more often nowadays to bring updates on the CDA's progress. Fungus was the one who came most often, since he was always present at the meetings. Less frequently were Nicholas Brennen and Samuel Boggs. Despite the fact that the CEA of Monsters, Inc. knew about the visits, the others weren't officially authorized to be using door portals. But Fungus always found a way to sneak them through.

Gradually Randall reconciled with his former assistant. The nervous, blathering Fungus had been the closest thing he had to a friend. After all that had happened, Randall wanted to make amends for the past. He even apologized for getting him involved in the scream extractor fiasco, and forcing Fungus to take part in the scheme. They should never have listen to Waternoose in the first place.

Everyone was bewildered by the change in Randall. Although he still remained the impatient, short-tempered inventor, he now had a genuine compassion for others. He was still unpleasant at times, but also more understanding, and more trustworthy. Fungus was by far the most astounded, having been a minion of sorts in the past. Perhaps joining this group of outcast monsters had done Randall some good.

…

One evening, Fungus literally ran into the camp, unaccompanied. His three-lensed glasses were askew and his tie was coming undone; he huffed and puffed to catch his breath, glancing behind him every second to make sure no wild animals were after him. He was looking very thrilled.

"I say, what's happened, Jeff?" Bernard handed over some water. "Have the authorities made up their minds, yet?"

"Yeah. Those idiots are taking forever! Bring a CDA agent out here next time, and I'll happily beat him up for kicks." Becca snapped from nearby.

It was a cool spring night and the group was spending it working on projects and hobbies. Becca and Naomi were pouring over the novel of Frankenstein, discussing it with fascination at humans' interpretation of monsters. Bernard was listening to them while making a new fishing spear, and Randall was perched on a tree branch someway off the ground. He was in the midst of building a more efficient crossbow; all sorts of tools were spread out along the branches. When Fungus appeared, though, everyone stopped what they were doing.

"Well? What's the word?" Randall demanded once Fungus caught his breath.

"Sorry. I Ran all…the way…from the kid's room!" he breathed. "Chester Duffy's trial is over! He's been sentence to six months jail time for tampering with the doors' technical systems—that's why you and Suzie ended up in France in the first place, Randall."

"Too bad. I planned on gouging the guy's eyes out for causing the disaster." Becca announced, pounding a fist into her opposite hand.

"Plus, the CDA is more informed than ever about how you guys live out here—you know, the hunting, the gathering, avoiding humans, just staying alive in general. Well, maybe I exaggerated just a little bit, and so did Baboso. I mean, I realize he's never been out here, but I told him everything. We made a pretty good argument against the authorities. The CDA absolutely insisted on us being present at each and every hearing, so of course—"

"Hey! Get to the point already," demanded Randall from the tree branch.

"Yeah, I've been waiting on pins and needles for so long. What's going to happen to us?" Naomi clasped her clawed hands anxiously.

Fungus realized he had the full attention of everyone in camp. Very animated, he spoke quickly. "Ahem: 'In light of the actions of Chester Duffy, now former Scarer of Scream Industries, we hereby declare the act of banishment to be too harsh a form of criminal punishment.' They said it with a lot of fancier words, and it was a long-winded speech, but basically, all banished monsters are free to return! If they so wish, that is. A committee has been formed to track down all the other banished folks out here, but you four can be the first to come back," Fungus started pacing around with anticipation, very excited about the whole thing. "This is huge! The law won't come into effect for three more days, so you'll have to wait until then, but still, I think it's a very good first step. Just wait when you see how much the factory has changed, Randall. Most of the others have acquired Laugh floors, too, and with the Scare floors still in effect, there had never been more jobs. The energy crisis has long since ended…"

The group only half-listened as Fungus babbled on and on about the trial's success in greater detail. They were all looking at one another, wordlessly with open mouths. Randall was frozen to the branch, while Bernard, Becca and Naomi had to sit down in revelation. Their faces were full of a mixture of gladness, nerves, and a hint of disbelief. After all this time surviving, living off the land and whatever they could find…they could finally go back to where they belonged.

Fungus droned on and on the CDA's final announcement for what seemed like forever. "…But really, it was your sister's death that really convinced them," he told Becca, still keeping his distance from her. "I told them the whole story. When they heard how young she was—just a kid, really—that's when a lot of CDA members really changed their minds. It had a profound effect on them."

There wasn't much chatter after that. With him so excited and talkative, the others didn't really have a chance to say much. Everyone was still digesting the words, anyway. Fungus stayed for a while to join the group for a quick bite to eat before heading back. "Now, before I get out of here, there are a few preparations to be made," he said, blathering on. "I'll come back three nights from now to escort you guys home. After all, you're not banished anymore! At least not for three more days."

"Then I guess we'll start packing up for the trip…" Bernard finally managed to say.

"Good idea. How all five of us will sneak through that kid's room, who knows? We'll just have to head through one at a time," Fungus and the allies sometimes used various doors to come here, so as not to raise any alarms from human parents. The one the group would be using for their final journey was located in a small family home on the edge of the city. Fungus said that they would be coming to Scream Industries; that was the factory Randall and Suzie had encountered at the start of all this. It seemed the logical place to go and end it all.

…

The next morning, the shock of the news still hung thick like a fog, but in a good way. Naomi was the first one up to greet Bernard, who had been keeping watch for the last shift of the night. "Was it just a big dream? Did it really happen?"

"It really happened," Bernard confirmed, smiling his angler-fish smile.

"Wow. I can't believe it…" she stretched and yawned in the rays of the early sunshine. "Just think—these are our last few days! The last ones _ever_! Think about it! Do you think there'll be a big crowd to welcome us? Or maybe some cameras for the paper? Do I look OK? How's my hair? It's gotten so long and messy; I want to look gorgeous when we arrive."

"Well, Fungus said it would be kept on the quiet side—only a handful of reporters and no cameras. Our families will be there, but I shouldn't think there'll be a full-on giant crowd."

"Humph. You'd think it would be made a bigger deal, what with all the rumors about us in the Monster World."

Becca emerged from her tent, awake and having overheard. "We're being brought back into society, Princess. This isn't some fancy occasion. Our stories will be in the papers, and the only reason there are no cameras is so we can go out in public without becoming celebrities."

"Oh, where's the fun in that? Oh well…at least I can see Mother again. The letters she's been sending are nice, but just not the same!"

Bernard smiled. "And I'll meet the granddaughter Nick has been telling me all about. And his wife, too. It should be exciting; there's a whole side of the family that I never knew about. Though I'll admit, I'm nervous. What about you two?"

Becca sighed and said nothing; there wouldn't be anyone there to greet her. She helped herself to leftover fish while Bernard and Naomi chatted happily.

Randall was still lounging sleepily in his tree, and also heard everything. Secretly, he was glad the upcoming trip would be ending in Scream Industries. If it had been his old workplace, familiar faces and old co-workers would be there. He already had a questionable reputation there, and it would not be fun to face a crowd.

Samuel would be there, and would have Rex tag along, no doubt. Having not seen the kid for so long, Randall wondered what Rex even looked like now. But what worried him most was the prospect of seeing his father. Reuniting with his brother and nephew was one thing, but his _father_? His heart pounded hard just thinking about it. He climbed down the tree to breakfast with mixed feelings.

When Bernard noticed how quiet he was. "Something on your mind, Randall?" he asked, but the lizard was unwilling to answer. "You've been quiet ever since Jeff gave the news. Getting nervous?"

"I guess…"

"I bet he's scared of seeing his father," said Becca, with a smirk. She had a feeling that was what was going on. "The way you talk about him gives us a good idea of how you get along. When was the last time you saw your Dad?"

"Uh…it's been…actually, I don't know. A very long time; let's call it an estranged father-son thing."

The four ate breakfast with mostly lightened hearts. Naomi was by far the most animated about going home and chattered nonstop about all the friends she wanted to see the moment they returned. Bernard was more or less on the same line, but more calm and collected.

For Becca, the whole prospect was bittersweet…she was free to return, while her sister never would. The elder McKeen sister didn't expect anyone to welcome her—she had no other family, and no friends other than the ones she was eating breakfast with right now. True, she had been a respected sort at Fear Co., but that was long ago. Likely they would have forgotten about her by now. But Becca forced a smile and tried to stay happy for the group's sake. These were her true friends and she didn't want to be a sour apple.

Randall didn't join much in the conversation; he devoured leftover fish hungrily while thinking solitary thoughts. _OK…nothing to be nervous about. It's only Dad, who pretty much resents everything I've ever done in my life, ever since college. What will he say when he sees me now? I bet he'll say something belittling like 'I told you so.'_ Being the youngest, he always felt inferior to his successful brother. His father had never approved of his career choice of Scaring to begin with and look where it had landed him: banished! He couldn't help but wonder with hope _…Maybe it won't be that bad. At least Sam and Rex will be there. That's better than facing him alone. Rex…ugh. I still say that makes the kid sound like a dinosaur. Sam needs to pick better names._

 **The conversation between Randall and Becca I re-edited quite a bit, and now I'm much happier with how it turned out. Hope you enjoyed! Up next: a homecoming, and a reunion between Randall and his father. Please be polite if you feel like reviewing! Thanks for all the wonderful support thus far! Bye for now. :)**


	35. Homecoming

**Whew! Such for the longer then expected wait! This required a ton of editing. Also, I'm a procrastinator. lol. So here it is: the finale and epilogue when Randall and his friends finally return home. I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you at the end!**

Chapter Thirty-Four: Homecoming

The last three days in the Human World felt like the days before Christmas: full of bubbling, brewing excitement that would drive anyone crazy unless they kept busy. During this time, the group dismantled the entire campsite, packing up belongings and all traces of tools and weapons. By the final day, the clearing looked just like any other part of the swamp.

There wasn't much else to do except wait for evening to arrive. They went on a final hike through the marsh that sunny morning. With the exception of Naomi, (who still complained at every mud puddle she had to tread through) everyone enjoyed themselves. Throughout the day, they played games to pass the time, like guessing games, hide-and-seek, and shooting contests at homemade targets. As usual, Becca was the best shot with her trusty shotgun. They tested out the new crossbow Randall had designed, making latter rounds more interesting. Becca was very impressed that he had built such an accurate weapon from scratch; he proved to be good competition when it came to the bow and arrows.

When sunset finally approached, the monsters started heading back to the clearing. This last day had been full of fun and was cherished, but at the same time: Finally! It was ending!

The orange and gold twilight cast long shadows all across the swamp. Already the local wildlife was sounding sleepy, and fireflies were beginning to emerge, becoming more visible as the light faded. As the group traipsed through a grove of moss-draped trees that chirped with crickets, Becca came to a sudden realization. "Hey, where do we go once we're back? Home-wise, I mean? I don't think any of our old places will have been sitting around waiting for us all this time."

"That's right! And what about after that?" said Naomi, wrinkling her nose at a particularly squishy patch of moss. "Do you think the factory will take me back for hire?"

"How should I know? Your friends there are the ones who turned you in, in the first place."

"Girls, you're getting too worked up over what may be nothing to worry about," said Bernard, although he was uncertain as well. "Everything will work out just fine, you'll see. Let's all focus on one thing at a time."

Randall agreed with this philosophy, but said nothing. The prospect of going home was still very daunting to him. To try and lift his own spirits, he took one last climb through the mossy tree branches. He had been calling this place home for a long while, now. It was kind of sad to be leaving it. _Well, maybe I can build a door that leads out here. It'd be worth it to come back just for a visit. Even just to take a climb through the trees._

…

Fungus showed up an hour after sunset, ready to escort them home. As usual, he glanced nervously around the wilderness for fear of alligators. He was anxious to get going.

Leaving the now-barren clearing was harder than the group expected. Each monster gazed around the moonlit scene wistfully. It was weird; just like leaving a home to go to another home. After everything they had been through—all the dilemmas, trials, and daily struggles of just staying alive…and Suzie's unexpected death…this was all coming to an end.

Randall had spent most of his banishment living in these swamps. He was the last to leave the clearing after gazing at it for one last time, and ran on all eights to catch up with the others. Out of all the monsters, he was very surprised with himself. He would miss it the most.

…

The door portal that led back was located in a small boy's room, in an understated house. The trip to the place didn't take too long, and although it was late by now, lights were still on in every window.

"How'd you get out of here without these people seeing you?" Randall asked. He often wondered if the allies used the same door too often. Coming through the same one over and over was sure to make people more aware of monsters in the closet.

"Jumped out a window—I think the boy saw me, but it was really dark." Fungus explained.

The party of monsters had crept up through the backyard and taking shelter behind a hedge. Fungus pointed at the child's bedroom window. "Alrighty, then; since the house is only one story, this shouldn't be too hard."

"You would think so, shorty. There is no way I can squeeze through that window." Bernard pointed out. He was right. The width of his big, gorilla-like frame would never get through. "The only other way in is the backdoor, and then to the boy's room from there."

"What?! I never planned on that!"

"Then you should've picked another door, Fungus," Randall rolled his eyes at his incompetence. He slipped off his backpack and handed the rest of his gear to Bernard. "Here, take these. I'll sneak in and keep these people busy. Just head into the house when you hear a commotion, or screams of terror; one or the other. That'll be your signal to head in."

Without waiting for approval from Bernard, who always stood as leader of the group, Randall made himself invisible and left for the mission. His plan was simple: distract the parents. The kid was sure to keep close to them if he'd witnessed Fungus clamber out the window earlier.

The window to the living room was open a crack, so Randall slithered in. The place was an origin of evidence that a small child lived here: stuff was strewn about everywhere, mostly consisting of broken crayons and half-finished drawings. Randall got a foot stuck on a broken glue bottle, which he pried off in annoyance. The kid must be the arts-and-crafts type. He climbed like a gecko along the walls to avoid the chaos. There were sounds of someone walking around the nearby kitchen, a perfect place a cause a bit of confusion. It was far enough away from the backdoor for the gang of monsters to get in undetected. Hopefully…

Unseen, Randall peeked around a corner to walk in on an argument between a boy of about six and his parents. The adults were tidying up some dessert dishes while trying to reason with him.

"But something jumped out my window! I saw it! It might be hiding around the yard!" The boy in pajamas kept saying. "It was red, with funny legs that bent backwards—"

"Well, if it climbed out your window, there's nothing to worry about anymore, is there?" said the father. "You've carried on with this all evening, Simon. It must be long gone by now, so you can go right back to bed."

"No! What if it comes back?"

"Well…you can stay in our room, I suppose."

"Not again," sighed the mother. "All those creatures you draw are starting to jump off the paper, Simon…"

Randall could see they were occupied enough, but he still had to make a loud noise to signal the others—they should be waiting right outside the backdoor by now. He returned to the living room without tripping over anything and switched on the television, turning up the volume full blast. Sudden ear-splitting cheers from a sports program made him cover his own ears before bolting back to the kitchen.

The parents yelled in alarm as they rushed past to shut the thing off. The little boy covered his ears, too, but remained seated at the kitchen table. Randall wouldn't have heard it, but knew the group had slipped into the house by now. An amusing picture formed in his mind of the child seeing the hallway filled with Bernard's fearsome form—the man was a scary-looking guy and would make the kid never want to sleep in his own room again.

To keep the parents busy even further, he knocked a handful of utensils off the dishrack. The kid saw them flying off of their own accord and stood on his chair in panic. To create a tad more turmoil, Randall made himself visible; just for a moment.

The boy's mouth fell open at the sight of a giant purple lizard with a very mischievous expression. The sight rendered him speechless…though not for long. He let out a long, terrified scream. He called for his parents. "Mommy! Dad! Get back in here!" But the lizard had vanished into thin air, still with the impish grin on its face.

 _Ah…one last bit of fun! Totally worth it. I'll never get to pull that prank again. Now to find that room…_ Randall slipped into the next hall in search of the others. This being a small house, the kid's bedroom was found rather fast. Like the living room, it was messy with drawings, along with dozens of sketchbooks, pencils, and paints scattered around. A real organized mess.

"Hey, you're just in time. We considered ditching you here," Becca whispered teasingly when he showed up. The parents were still at a disagreement with their little boy, now arguing in almost-shouts. They echoed all the way down the hall. "Good grief, what the hell did you do? It sounds like they've seen a ghost."

Randall shrugged with a roll of his eyes.

Fungus was at the closet door, hand on the knob and ready to swing it open. "This is it. Your lives of exile are officially over. Are you ready?"

"Yeah! Let's go, already!" Naomi squealed, clapping her hands. She bounced on her heels and was first to make a bolt into the Monster World, without looking back once. The others could already hear her cries of joy upon finding her family waiting on the other side.

Bernard was more reserved. He had been banished the longest—thirteen years—and this was a serious, solemn occasion for him. Head held high, he walked straight into the lit room of the factory as if he were walking into a dream.

Randall put his backpack on before stepping near the threshold…Finally! Back to a normal life…then he noticed how sad Becca had abruptly become. Lingering in the shadows, she stared out the bedroom window at the backyard outside. She was very still, full of regret and heartache.

Fungus was confused about her sudden hesitance, and wondered if she wouldn't come. The light from the factory beamed in so enticingly that it was impossible to ignore. What was holding the woman back?

But Randall understood. He said to Becca, "I'm sorry she'd not coming back with us. But don't stay out here by yourself. It's not worth it."

"I know; it's just…not fair. You'll still take us to Iceland to see her, though. And that's not a request, Randall. It's an order." Becca regained her usual attitude.

"Of course." Randall held out a hand. "Ready to go?"

"…Hell, yeah."

Fungus was the last to go through. He gave a sigh in relief, leaning against the door with exhaustion. "Thank goodness all this running back and forth, door to door, is over. I'm never doing this again." The closet was shut tight and a quiet ' _click_ ' was heard within the boy's bedroom. When the child next opened it in search of monsters, there would be nothing but a regular closet on the other side.

…

The welcome reception was understated for the sake of keeping the outcasts' identities as private as possible. No cameras, only three or four reporters, and a small crowd of monsters. All were family or old friends of the group. There were also a few Scream Industries employees nearby, working overtime to collect a few extra screams. The reception party was proving to be quite the distraction, though, and many turned their heads to watch in interest.

The first thing Randall and Becca saw was Naomi in a group hug with her mother and grandmother. Except for minor differences, they all looked very much alike. Some members of the old Python Nu Kappa sorority were there, including the head of this factory, Carrie Williams, were here to welcome Naomi back. Already she was in the midst of a squealing chatter of joyful voices.

Bernard was still in a state of shock; understandable, considering the past thirteen years. Nicholas Brennen was here, embracing his long-lost father in a bear hug. With him were extended members of the family, including his wife—a slender yellow monster with long arms, short legs, and spiky hair cropped close to her head. Her kind eyes greeted Bernard, and the toddler-aged girl in her arms practically jumped out to meet her grandfather. Bernard wasn't sure what to think…after months of Nick telling about the little girl, here she was! The older monster warmed up to her instantly, scooping her up in his arms to say hallo. The granddaughter had the same yellow skin as her mother, but had her father's sturdy frame and a crest of feathers starting to grow down her head. It was a welcoming sight, seeing Bernard so happy. Randall, Naomi and Becca all thought that out of the whole group, he was the most deserving.

"Looks like everyone's here," said Fungus cheerfully, turning to them. "The reporters will want to talk to you all, just to get a story for the papers. Everyone in the city will be talking about this! Well, they're talking about it already, but after this, definitely more so! Imagine: all banishments lifted…" As Fungus babbled on, three nerdy-looking monsters with reporters' hats, pens and notepads approached. They asked them if they would be willing to do some interviews right off the bat.

"What, right now?" Randall protested. He had just caught glimpses of pewter grey scales within the welcome party. It looked like his brother was here, and he wanted to quickly ask him about their father. "Can't it wait?"

"I'll answer any questions," Becca volunteered. "There's no one around here to say 'hi' to me, anyway. Might as well get you idiots out of the way."

The reporters looked affronted. They didn't know Becca's rough way of talking was only to mask the underlying sadness. Not having Suzie here was hard for her. They took her aside to begin asking questions, leaving Randall free to face his brother.

Only it wasn't just him.

A very small orange monster—a four-year-old, scaly boy with a single frond on his head—came dashing up with hyper-active vigor. " _Uncle Randy_! Wow! You look just like Grandpa, 'cept he's purpler. And you look way different than you do in the pictures. What's that? A bite-mark?" He pointed at the massive gunshot scarring on his uncle's abdomen. "Did you get it from an alligator? Dad says they're _everywhere_ in the place where you're from!"

Randall pried off his nephew. Of course, the kid wouldn't remember him. The last time he saw Rex must have been when the boy was no older than one or two. "Um…hi, Squirt. Wow, you've gotten a lot bigger."

"Thanks. C'mon! Daddy and Grandpa are this way," Rex yanked with a firm grip on Randall's lower arms and forced him to run. The pull was enough to make Randall stumble. _So this ball of energy is what Sam has to put up with on a daily basis._

Samuel greeted his brother with a grin and even an awkward, unwanted hug. Randall reassured him that he was fine and didn't want to be smothered with overkill. Still far from affectionate, he preferred a personal bubble of space. Feeling nervous now, he shook off his nephew. Rex, already over-excited, was picked up by Sam to stop getting underfoot.

Meeting with his father had been on the back of Randall's mind all day. The older lizard had been in the very back of the crowd this whole time, quite inconspicuous. He now stood up straight and apprehensively, waiting for the silence to be broken. Sam must've been anxious for this too, for they all suddenly went quiet. Rex, not sure what the tense silence meant, just waited for someone to speak. (All while squirming to escape from Sam's arms.)

Dr. Zachariah Boggs was a brilliant astrophysicist, forever engrossed in his career of watching the stars for a living. Out of his two sons, Randall resembled him the most. Zachariah was a slender, eight-limbed lizard, with many short fronds growing out of his head and down his back. His scales were a very dark eggplant color, with a splash of dark blue near the tail. Evidently he had a rebellious streak, for there was an abstract tattoo design in black ink running down his back. (Sam's recent sleeve tattoo had a similar design, and he must've gotten the idea from their father.) Unlike his sons, Zachariah had grey eyes, which peered widely to regard Randall with concern.

He had anticipated a stare of disappointment or even a stern glare. This was surprising—instead, his father was overwhelmed with relief. _He still doesn't look happy…understandable. Neither of us are prone to being emotional saps._ To break the ice, Randall decided to speak first. "So you really came. I didn't think Sam would talk you into it."

"He did. I may have come, anyway," said Zachariah. He looked his youngest son up and down. Randall was suddenly aware of how much of a mess he must be: dirty, muddy, tired, and scarred both physically and mentally. And Zachariah noticed it all. "You look terrible. What have you been up to?"

"Well…that's a long story."

"I'll say. It goes way back to when—" Sam began.

"Sh." His father silenced him before going on. "I'd like to hear it. I heard about all the mischief you were up to before you vanished off the face of the world, Randall. Knew your job would land you in trouble, somehow, but _this_ was the last thing I expected."

Randall made an annoyed face. _A scolding? Really, Dad?_ Samuel snickered in the background.

"But I suppose it's all in the past, now. Getting yourself banished was punishment enough, I should think."

Sam sulked. A good scolding always made for great entertainment. Rex, still in Sam's arms, was still fighting to escape. "Put me down! I wanna go meet the big red scary guy with the fish teeth!"

"OK, but please don't pester anyone," Sam groaned as he scampered off. "I don't know if I can trust him on his own…"

Zachariah looked around at the other outcasts, all talking with their respective parties. Becca had sat down at a workstation to be interview by the reporters. Whatever they were saying seemed to be upsetting her, for she was fighting back tears and angry words. Zachariah noticed this. "Rumors have been flying around the city for months, now, Randall," He then told Sam, "You really should go keep an eye on Rex. He's bound to get underfoot."

"But Dad—" Sam started.

"Now, please?" the father said sternly, but not unkindly. That was all that was needed to get rid of him without protest. Sam took the hint and hurried off in search of Rex. Now alone with Randall, Zachariah tried to make amends. "Is it true that one of your group was killed?"

Randall nodded glumly. "Yeah. It was an accident. I…gave her a funeral."

"Oh…I'm sorry…what exactly happened? So many versions have been concocted; you know how rumors are. No one knows what to believe anymore. It's been very worrying."

"Dad, I've had a long day. I really don't want to talk about it just now." There were a lot of monsters in the room capable of listening in, which he didn't really want.

"Alright," Zachariah clued in on this and nodded. "Whenever you feel like it, then. Must've been hard…by the way, didn't your brother bring a new pair of glasses to you a while ago?"

Randall dug them out of his backpack. Sam had made sure they had gotten into his hands, but he still didn't wear them very often. "It's difficult to hunt with these on, so I only wear them when I use the crossbow. They don't disappear when I do; you know that."

"You won't _have_ to hunt anymore—that should be interesting to hear about. I hear you've become quite the gator-wrestler. Just put them on."

"But Naomi makes fun of me! Says I look like a nerd." But Zachariah insisted, so he did. The frames were narrow, rectangular, modern black ones. Not nerdy in the slightest. But they'd take some getting used to. Randall admitted it was nice to see everything more clearly for a change, without having to squint.

His father approved. "That's better. That looks more like the old you."

"Thanks, I guess."

Zachariah sighed. "Try not to be so depressed. I'm sorry about your friend…but something good came out of it. Hearing about her tragedy was the thing that really convinced the authorities that banishment is too cruel of a sentence. Because of it, all other banished folks are being sought out and brought home. A lot of monsters here are celebrating."

"That's good. Suzie would've liked to hear the outcome." Randall trailed off.

Zachariah was bothered by how little his son was saying. The experience in the Human World had evidently changed him, and he had stayed loyal to his newfound group of friends all through those rough times. In the old days, Randall doing such a thing would have been unheard of. He put two hands on Randall's shoulders to look him in the eye. "It's something to be glad about. I'm very proud of you."

For much of his life, Randall had wanted to earn his father's respect and pride. Preferably for something career-related like Samuel…but this was a start.

"There'll be time to talk later. That OK with you?" Zachariah asked. "It looks like the reporters want to speak to you four."

"Sure, Dad, that's fine. I'll see you later, then. There's a lot to talk about…" Then without realizing, he mumbled in one of the languages he was picking up. "Je ne sais pas vraiment par ou commencer..."

That threw Zachariah off. His grey eyes bulged with surprise behind their frames. "Huh? When did you learn French?"

"What?" Randall hadn't meant to. "Oh. Sorry…picked it up in Europe, and I've been studying it. Guess those dictionaries are rubbing off. Spanish, too; Er—I'll explain later." He added upon seeing the bewilderment in Zachariah's face.

He went off to join Becca, Bernard and Naomi for their interviews. The reunion with his father wasn't heartfelt, nor very emotional in any way. There was a lot of catching up to do. But it had gone better than he expected.

…

The reporters took the outcasts to the factory's cafeteria, where there were more chairs, and food and drink for everyone. A few CDA agents were there as well, mostly for security reasons and to make sure the arrivals weren't dangerous, considering they'd been exposed to a 'toxic world' for a long period of time. (Most of Monstropolis still believed human children were deadly, despite the discovery of laugh technology.) After the reports had their stories for the paper, that would be the end of re-telling their adventures.

Once all was said and done, the four former outcasts were basically free to do as they wished. The time differences between the Human and Monster worlds meant that dusk was only just approaching here. Without the normal routine of cooking a hunted supper over a campfire, the four monsters weren't sure what to do now. Bernard pulled away from his family to speak with the rest of the group. His little granddaughter was still clinging to him, but Nicholas took her so as to let them talk.

"Thank goodness that's all done," exclaimed Bernard, sitting down with the others at a vacant table. "It's been a big enough day as it is. I'm not used to so many faces."

"Yeah…so, now what?" Becca looked at each of her friends for answers. "They guys in the banana-yellow suits said we're free to go, but Suzie and I…our home was seized years ago! They even confiscated all our stuff—photographs and junk like that," Becca sounded more upset with every word. "The agents said it would all be released to me, but I still don't have any place to go… _ugh!_ What a world! They give me back family heirlooms, but not my old home. I could just kick them in the—"

"Don't fret about that, Becca." Bernard said quietly to calm her. "Nick is taking me in, and there are plenty of guest rooms in the house. He said you're welcome to stay with us as long as you need to."

"Really?"

"Aw, but I was going to ask you that!" Naomi piped up. "Mother and I have plenty of room, too."

So Becca had two options. She decided to move in with the Brennen family. Still at a loss over the death of Suzie, Bernard felt like the closest thing she had to a parent. His support would be crucial in recovering from the giant loss.

"So, Randy, where are you headed?—Ha! Nice glasses." Naomi said teasingly, finally noticing the frames. "No matter how many times I see those on you, I just can't get used to the sight."

"Thanks for the flattery." He crossed both sets of arms and answered her question. "Get this: Samuel _took over my house_ before the authorities could. That's no surprise, really. He said he'd 'put up with me' for a housemate."

Naomi laughed. "Not much to your liking, I guess?"

"Nope. But I don't really have a choice…I guess I should be grateful. So long as he stayed out of my room all this time."

The four outcasts weren't sure about adjusting back into society. Just figuring out where to live was a hassle! What about tomorrow? What about old friends or ex-coworkers they might run into? What would the public think, should anyone find out who they were? There was so much uncertainty.

Becca rested her head on her elbows with a sigh. "It's getting late…won't be long before we have to head home for the night. That'll be hard. I don't want us to split up for good!"

Naomi had a simple solution to solve this. "How 'bout we just meet up every now and then? Just to see how we're all doing?"

Randall was relieved. "Finally, I thought no one would suggest it. I certainly wasn't going to be the one."

So they quickly made plans to meet the next day. After all their adventures in the Human World, relying on one another, looking out for each other, and getting through the bad times, breaking up completely would be impossible. Randall was enthusiastic about the idea; he knew he had gained friends for life in these monsters. Splitting up and going their separate ways that evening was hard. Adjusting to the Monster World would not be easy, so they vowed to be there for each other every step of the way.

…

Samuel and Rex had moved into Randall's house during his absence, much to his chagrin. Even before Sam's divorce—from which he had gotten everything, including full custody of his son—they had lived in an apartment downtown. The empty house had been a stroke of convenience. "…but I swear, Randall, I left your room pretty much exactly as it was," he explained as he drove. "When you vanished, I had doubts as to whether you'd ever turn up again…guess you proved me wrong."

"Looks like it," Randall watched the buildings rush past as the car moved. Rex could be heard dozing in the backseat; the kid must've been dreaming, for his limbs kept going invisible at times. It was weird; Randall knew he himself changed random colors in his sleep. _Living with a brother and a hyper-active nephew…I'm not really looking forward to it._

He didn't feel much like chatting, so allowed his brother to ramble on about his new job at Monsters, Inc. Not only did he work there as a company counselor, but he also worked as a psychology teacher at the local university. The counseling stuff was confidential, but he was telling seemingly endless stories about his teaching duties.

During the drive, Randall pondered about his new future. Fungus and Sam had said there were loads of positions available in all the factories…but he certainly didn't want to go back to Scaring, or making kids laugh—that sounded too degrading, plus he wasn't that funny to begin with. He would figure out something else. Maybe something he would enjoy just as much as Scaring.

Randall had always lived alone. Sharing the house and living with family again would be tough—Sam may still be trying to make amends for the past, but they were bound not to get along all the time. And having a four-year-old kid running around? Again, it would be a big change. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad; certainly better than living alone in a tree in a gator-infested swamp. It was a small place that he had saved up long and hard for. But it was big enough for three monsters to share.

"I'm gonna take Rex upstairs," Sam said as they walked through the front door and switched on the lights. The kid was deeply asleep by now, and didn't even stir as he was carried. "The upstairs loft I converted into his bedroom. Go ahead and look around."

"Alright." Randall only hoped his home was more or less the same.

He took the time to inspect the house. He had to make sure it wasn't too different from what it was before. He practically ran about the place, going from kitchen to living room, to the backyard and over to the lone tree that grew there. It was just as he remembered! There were some differences, though: all new pieces of furniture, more photos on the walls, and a few of Rex's toys sitting around, but that seemed about it. Even his own knickknacks lying around seemed untouched.

Samuel scurried after him to see his reaction to being home. It was quite funny to watch. "No, I haven't moved any of your stuff, Randy. Quit worrying! I'm working too much to find time to get rid of it all, anyway. You're welcome."

"Ha, ha. You're hilarious," Randall rolled his eyes, but smirked despite himself. "You took over the spare room, I take it?"

"Yes. It's mine, now, so you're not allowed in there. Right after you disappeared, I was going to turn your room into an office or something. But then the factory hired me, I learned what had really happened to you, I got worried and started sneaking into the door vaults, and—well, you know the rest. One thing led to another," Sam sat down on the sofa so they could talk. "So your room is pretty much the same. Rex wanted to stay up in the loft, anyway. He likes the view of the tree from up there. So with all that being said, we should be able to share the place…oh, I forgot. Dad wants to spend the day with us tomorrow."

"Geez, the whole day?" Randall collapsed on the sofa. "This evening was awkward enough."

"Not for the _whole_ day, genius! We know you want to see your friends, too. You see, when you disappeared, Dad's never been quite the same. I don't know if it's some form of regret, or what. But it'll be fine. Just the four of us, like old times."

Randall was pessimistic, but willing. Rebuilding the relationship with his father was a monumental task. Zachariah Boggs was the high-expectations sort when it came to his kids. The reunion at Scream Industries had gone well enough. That was a good sign. He resolved to take it in strides. _Gotta start somewhere, I guess._

"It's good to have you back, Randy." Samuel said with wholeheartedness.

"Thanks…it's good to be home." Randall managed.

…

Sleeping in his own room once again sure felt strange. Everything was as he left it: the desk, the beanbag chair, the hammock in the corner, even the bedspread with the geometric pattern was the same. One wall used to be covered in rough sketches for the scream extractor and other inventions, but Sam must have torn them down. Randall was glad he had; he wanted no memories of that time. He didn't want to think about those days. Having this chance to start over was one he was determined not to blow.

That night, as he fought to fall asleep, something still wasn't right. He couldn't get comfortable! The bed was soft and welcoming, but he kept tossing and turning. Sleep just wouldn't come. Fed up, Randall sat upright in frustration.

The big tree in the garden caught his eye. Next second, the lizard was scrambling out into the yard and climbing up to the highest branch. Imagine Samuel's face when he found him sleeping up here! He laughed at the thought as he stretched out to get some sleep. Having grown so used to this, it felt perfectly natural.

Randall was glad to be home. But this habit would surely be the toughest to break. _Oh well. Some things are harder to change then others._


	36. Epilogue

Epilogue

So the outcasts were free to begin their lives afresh. The newspapers were filled with the re-telling of their adventures and were the only topic of conversation everywhere, it seemed. No names or photos were used in the articles; only initials so that their identities were more or less unknown. Only direct friends, family, and some former coworkers of the outcasts knew the truth. In an effort to prevent a limelight, no one spread the word to the public. Randall was the one who gained the most recognition, due to being well-known at one particular factory, but was glad the general population was kept in the dark about who he was. It was a great feeling, being able to walk around in public without having to worry.

Only a few days later, and it was obvious everyone in the group would reintegrate into the Monster World at a different pace.

It wasn't too hard for Naomi at first. Shortly after returning, she had her unkempt hair trimmed, had her claws and teeth sharpened, and had an entire new wardrobe in no time. She was forever smiling, being able to indulge her vanity. A thing as simple as having nice-looking lavender hair was enough to keep her blissful beyond belief. Her mother worked as a nurse, and was so overjoyed at her daughter being home, that she at once offered Naomi a place to stay, to which she accepted.

Then, she ran into some roadblocks. The sorority sisters of the Python Nu Kappa who had turned her in so long ago made amends; even Carrie Williams. But it soon became clear that Naomi's friendship with them would never be quite the same. The entire gaggle of them all worked at Scream Industries, but no positions were available for Naomi. Having landed in hot water at Scream Industries had given her an uncertain reputation there, so returning to her old job of scaring would not be a possibility. Having experienced the Human World and a rough life of exile had had a profound effect on her. She had no desire to repeat the banished experience, and had a new appreciation for life, now. But she found herself unsure where to go from here.

Bernard had little trouble adjusting those first few days. His son had taken over the family fishing business many years ago, and it had become extremely successful. Over a dozen boats and whole teams of monsters now worked for the company. Nicholas went out on the water himself nearly every day; sometimes even delivering the catches himself. Local markets and smell restaurants were supplied by him, although getting the reputation to this point had been a struggle. Bernard had been exiled for causing a disease outbreak from tainted fish, so of course it had been a harsh blow to the business. Nicholas often brought his daughter out on the water, as well as his wife. Bernard was more than happy to be able to work once again, and marveled at the fleet of impressive boats. With all the progress that had been made, Bernard couldn't have been prouder.

The Brennen family lived very close to the ocean, only a short drive from downtown Monstropolis. It was a very large, fancy sort of place due to the family's wealth accumulated over the years. The sudden riches were extremely overwhelming for the humble Bernard. It was a little bit over-the-top for his spoiled granddaughter to grow up in. He was still surprised at being in the sudden role of grandpa, and of having a daughter-in-law as well. But day by day, he liked the role more and more. The grand home would take some getting used to, though.

The vast Brennen house meant a luxurious place for Becca to stay. Having nowhere to go, she was welcomed with open arms. Her suite even had an attached balcony overlooking the yard, but despite the lavish quarters, she was still a bit sad with the prospect of being here. She was very unlike herself, and it showed: quieter, polite, and she didn't even bother quarrelling with Randall or Naomi…it was a bit disturbing. The death of Suzie was looming over her and would be for a long time. The others vowed to try their best to help her though this tough time, but it wasn't easy with her defensive attitude and stubbornness.

The authorities released the McKeen family photographs and other personal belongings. All were returned to Becca and going through the mementos seemed to help her mood. But she had yet to go out and begin a new life of her own.

"Working again might help, Becca. You can't stay cooped up in here all the time," Bernard advised when he came to see her. She had been holed up in her room for a week straight, doing nothing but pouring over old photographs.

"Sure I can! Watch me," She snapped. Then sighed in regret. "Sorry…it's just too soon since Suzie…" She trailed off. She would not heal from the death of her sister anytime soon. "I just need more time."

Becca's old job as a Scare Coach was one she had been passionate about; mostly because she enjoyed bossing monsters around. But she was not feeling up to job-hunting. What place would hire her after learning of her past, anyway? Now was the time to mourn. She spent a great deal more time with Randall nowadays; knowing he was with Suzie when she died was somewhat of a comfort. Suzie's death had affected them both, but they were becoming closer, better friends because of it. Becca had no idea how the rest of her life would turn out, with her only family gone. She was much too gloomy to care right now.

As for Randall, things were moving along smoothly. Reluctant to step foot in Monsters, Inc., he did so after some pushing from Samuel and found a position on the maintenance crew. With his knowledge of machines and mechanics, he was often asked for more complicated repairs around the factory. Facing all the old faces was intimidating. Some had no idea why he had disappearing for so long, what with there being lack of evidence of his involvement with the scream extractor incident. Most were still slightly nervous around him at first; but slowly, they began to notice the change in Randall Boggs—still notoriously impatient and short-fused, but he now had a deeper respect for others, was friendlier, and sometimes kinder. He wanted to gain more respect and trust around here, despite being on the lowly maintenance crew, and there was a long way to go.

Upon first stepping foot back into the place, Randall braced himself for a meeting with the two monsters who had thrown him into the Human World in the first place…only to find they weren't even here! During the spring and summer months, some employees began taking their vacation times; this included the blue buffoon and the green sidekick. They wouldn't be due back for some time.

"He's CEO now?" Randall hissed in bewilderment upon finding the giant portrait of the blue-furred monster in the foyer. He rolled his eyes with sarcasm. "Of course he is! That's the only logical thing to happen after hurling me through a door! Just wait until those two get back…no doubt they'll have read the papers by now and pieced the story together." Then he realized what an unnerving conversation that would be. Suddenly he dreaded the thought of seeing those two again. Once the duo returned from their vacations, then what? There wasn't much point in revenge. Randall had already gone through enough punishment, and revenge sounded like something the old him would have done. His resolution was important; after all that had happened, he still wanted to prove anyone could change.

But he would worry about that later. There were plenty of other things to keep him occupied. Like dealing with Samuel and Rex, who spent so much time at the factory it was a wonder they didn't just move in!

Randall had always been ambitious. Maybe the demeaning maintenance job would only be temporary. All of the positive attention from his family was strange; he wasn't used to it at all. Zachariah nagged and encouraged Randall to pursue a more worthwhile goal, but he was still glad to have both of his sons back home, safe and sound. Earning his father's pride was important to Randall. He vowed to think about something more aspiring later, though. Being back at the factory felt like a step in the right direction—but there was a distinct downside: Samuel worked in the same building. Rex was also a frequent sight at the company daycare. Often the kid disappeared to seek out his long-lost uncle, always during the worst times. Randall was forced to put up with it all. The Boggs' clan had never been very tightknit, but was certainly spending more time together then before.

…

With Fungus' help, Randall quickly constructed a door which led to the highlands of Iceland. Fungus had helped build the thing in a hurry, and after testing it a few times, Randall pinpointed the location of Suzie's grave. He vowed to keep his promise to bring the others to visit her. When building a normal closet door, it required lots of testing to make sure it had linked with a counterpart closet in the Human World; typically it was a complicated process. But for the doors that led straight into wilderness for the purposes of banishment, the process was much faster. They basically led to nowhere.

With Fungus monitoring the door from the other side, the four outcasts set out on the expedition. A full two weeks had passed since returning, but having become so close, the four found time to meet every day. Randall led today's outing, and was pleasantly surprised at finding Iceland to be very scenic in the spring: rolling hills of grass, fresh , crisp air, and an endless blue sky. Seeing the wildlife and stunning landscape made Becca beam. This may be where Suzie had breathed her last, but it was a beautiful place to be her final resting place.

The group paid their final respects to Suzie, leaving flowers at her makeshift grave and saying a few kind words. The place brought back horrific, unwanted flashbacks for Randall; the traumatic days in Iceland came flooding back all at once.

Bernard noticed him lingering in the background. While Becca and Naomi sat by Suzie's grave, talking quietly, the older monster said to him, "You're probably tired of hearing this, Randall, but it wasn't your fault."

"Oh yes, it was," he insisted. He was beginning to regret this trip to Iceland. "Everything leading up to it was. You forget I was never completely honest to you all. If I hadn't lied, we never would have ended up returning to the swamps, I would never have gotten shot, the pneumonia wouldn't have spread, and there wouldn't have been any reason to search for medicine…getting help from monsters was all my idea, anyway." Randall sat down on a rock, finally confessing his guilt. It was true; he hardly _needed_ to explain it. Getting lost in Europe with Suzie had all been his doing; he _never_ should have gone looking for help in the Monster World. If not for his actions, choices, and manipulating ways, Suzie might still be alive.

Over by the grave—just a camouflaged pile of rocks, really—Becca was fighting her grief, just as the others expected. She was good at hiding her true feelings. She knelt with a far-off expression, looking around at the Icelandic landscape in admiration. Naomi was talking to her to offer words of comfort. Ever since winter, she had tried to fill the sisterly role that Becca was missing.

Randall sighed. Seeing tough Becca like this was more then he could bear.

Bernard, on the other hand, saw things differently. "Your actions also led up to all banishments ending, everywhere. No one will ever have to fear such a punishment again."

"True, but—"

" _Stop_ with the guilt trip, Randall! It was a horrible accident…none of us will recover anytime soon, and even the newspapers were shocked at hearing of her death. She was so young; far too young to leave us so soon."

"I say I never should have joined the group. This all could have been avoided."

"But then you'd still be living in that twisted old tree, and we'd still be a group of nomadic travelers, just trying to find enough food to get through the day. That's no way to live."

Becca and Naomi overheard, and sat down in the lush grass to join in.

"Oh, that's right," Naomi agreed with Bernard's statement. "Who'd want to spend the rest of their life just surviving? I'd rather be living. I couldn't be more grateful for being back home." She said this kindly, with gratitude in her voice.

"Listen, Randy," Becca started. "We all screwed up real good and got kicked out of our _world_. If you hadn't joined the group that day, who knows where we'd all be now?"

Randall got the point. 'All banishments lifted' had a nice ring to it. But he would never forget Suzie, not would the rest of the group. She would've liked this outcome; the four friends swore to visit this place often and remember her always. Cool spring breezes rustled the wild grass, and the sun lifted their spirits. They began reminiscing times in the Human World, back when their year of hardship began. Like Randall's first day meeting them.

"You almost killed me with that shotgun!" Randall exclaimed to Becca.

'Sorry about that. Can you blame me?" she laughed. "When something tracks down our camp, it's not usually another monster. But seriously, I am glad you turned up that day. It led to all of this."

The door which led back to the factory was standing upright of its own accord nearby; a large, carved wooden thing that was very sturdy and reliable. It acted in the same manner as a banishment door. Randall had only spent a couple of days getting it to work; the red light above the frame was lit, meaning Fungus was still doing the job of monitoring it from the other side.

As the group enjoyed hanging out carefree in the field, Randall thought back to his time alone in the swamp. Such a depressing time that had been…he had often wondered what his bleak future would be, living there forever.

His friends began throwing corny jokes to one another, laughing at the sheer stupidity. The spring sun shone nicely, and the view from the cliffs was spectacular. Everyone was relaxed, just like old times in their campsite. The door was ready and waiting for them when it was time to leave. Every now and then, Fungus popped his head through to check that it was still operational. There was no need; it was working perfectly. The group of monsters was glad to do nothing out here on the grass. Goodness knows they deserved it.

Randall wasn't sure what would happen to them next: he still had to deal with his estranged father, not to mention continue to redeem himself. Bernard had a whole new silver platter of wealth suddenly before him, and a new family. Naomi was completely lost as to where to go from here, and Becca…she was in for a long journey of healing. Randall tried not to focus on their impending problems right now. Out here in the highlands, they could take a breather.

He let out a couple of laughs with his friends. Their pasts may have been bleak, but with a chance to start things new, their futures were looking brighter.

The End

 **YES! DONE! There you have it. My epic adventure story has come to a close. I'm very proud of this project and am so glad it's been posted again for everyone to enjoy. Thanks for sticking with me all this time, and I hope you liked it! Feel free to leave reviews, so long as they are worded politely. Thanks!**

 **While editing this epilogue, I was careful to leave plenty of loose ends. For I have a sequel planned for this story. It won't be nearly as long, and more of an add-on to this story, really. The idea for a sequel has been in my head for years, and I've got the whole thing plotted out. (really. I started getting ideas for it AGES ago!) And I absolutely HAVE to write it before the idea grows so big that I go crazy and my head explodes! It will be more of a drama/friendship/family theme and I hope to see you tag along for the tale.**

 **I'm working on a short Frozen fic at the moment. Once that is complete, keep your eyes peeled for another Randall story! I can't wait to get started. Feel free to make suggestions for the title! Something along the lines of The Monster World: (fill in this blank space.)**

 **Love: P.D. :)**


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